Herbal remedies and dietary supplements are not considered drugs by the US Food and Drug

Administration (FDA). This allows herbs and supplements to be exempt from the rigorous
federal regulations and testing that prescription drugs go through. The herbal product I have been
assigned is Saffron. Saffron, Crocus sativus  (Iridacae), functions as both a medicine and a spice.
It is grown in the mountains of Asia, Egypt, and India.
           This is due to two active ingredients, crocin and saffranal. The effects of Saffron can be
utilized regardless if one is using the petal or the stigma, both have shown to be effective at
treating mild-to-moderate depression.
            Potential side effects associated with Saffron include “dry mouth, anxiety, agitation,
drowsiness, low mood, sweating, nausea or vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, change in
appetite, flushing, and headache. There is suspicion that Saffron can cause excitability and mania
in people with bipolar disorder, so the herb is ill advised in those with this condition. There are
no documented drug interactions at the moment.
            Generally, the therapeutic doses of Saffron have not shown a significant toxicity in
neither clinical nor experimental trials particularly the kidney, liver, thyroid, and hematologic
system. It is believed, that saffron has teratogenic effects so it is ill advised for pregnant or
breastfeeding women to use saffron. This is important because pregnant women tend to lean on
natural remedies to ensure the best possible health of their child, however, in this case there may
be harmful side effects.
            My recommendation is to inform any patient who would like to use Saffron as a method
of treating their depression of all the potential side effects along with the potential benefits. I
would not recommend use of this herbal product in pregnant or breastfeeding women due to the
effect on the fetus. The effects on mental wellness do provide hope for further use of this medical
treatment in the future though.