Antibacterial and antioxidant activity of methanol extracts of Crocus sativus L. c.v. Kashmirianus

摘要

In this study, we investigated the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of Crocus sativus L. Kashmirianus c.v . extracts (callus and stigmas). Profuse callus was obtained on MS medium enriched with BAP (20 μ M)+NAA (15 μ M) under in vitro conditions from corm slices. Four pathogenic bacterial strains ( Staphylococcus aureus CD0001, Escherichia coli CD0006, Pseudomonas aeruginosa CD0023 and Shigella flexneri CD0033) were used for determining the antibacterial activity of extracts. The antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH assay, DNA protection assay, FTC method, TBA assay and lipid peroxidation assay. The methanol stigma extract of saffron was found to be more effective in inhibiting all the pathogenic strains. The stigma extract also showed significant radical scavenging or chelation capacities in four of the methods; however, callus extract exhibited maximum inhibition of peroxy- radicals in lipid peroxidation assay. The protocol for callus production is described. It was concluded that as well as the specific parts of plants displaying diverse pharmacological activities, callus produced under in vitro conditions will assist in enhancing the production of secondary metabolites, which will reduce the pressure on natural saffron.