Saffron and retinal neurodegenerative diseases: Relevance of chemical composition.

Saffron is an ancient spice largely used in traditional medicine. It has been found to be effective in treatment of retinal neurodegenerative diseases like age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt. In the present manuscript, it is shown that saffron's neuroprotective power is strongly related to the bioactivity of all its chemical components. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and "in vitro" experiments confirm the relevance of crocins for saffron efficacy. These results underline the importance of strictly defining the chemical composition of the natural compounds in saffron to optimize their effectiveness in the treatment of diseases.