Compound Profile

Crocetin

Apocarotenoid aglycone from saffron derived from crocin hydrolysis.

Use extra caution — Human evidence is limited and often saffron derived. Details

Last reviewed: •1 source citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited
Crocetin monograph visual
Generated profile category visual

At a glance

From this profile's structured data
Evidence
Grade C
Safety
Human evidence is limited and often saffron-derived.
Profile context
Nrf2, NF-κB, oxidative-stress signaling
Next steps

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Quick stats

Evidence level
Limited evidence
Typical onset
Varies by prep
Safety rating
Use extra caution: Use caution
Best for
Nrf2, NF κB, Oxidative Stress Signaling
Avoid / review if
Caution With Bleeding Disorders Or Anticoagulant Or Blood Thinning Medication Use, Caution With Blood Pressure Medications Due To Saffron's Antihypertensive Activity, Caution With Unbalanced Bipolar Disorder Due To Serotonergic Activity

Safety

Safety & Cautions

Human evidence is limited and often saffron derived. Caution with pregnancy, serotonergic drugs, anticoagulants, and blood pressure lowering regimens.

High caution

Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.

  • Interaction-AwareMedication or interaction context is explicitly noted.
  • Stimulant-Like ProfileStimulant-like or activating caution language is present.
  • Anticoagulant CautionBleeding or anticoagulant-adjacent caution language is present.
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.

Evidence-based safety

Caution when combined

Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.

High-Priority Caution

173 flagged pairings

Serotonergic activity · Bleeding / anticoagulant risk

Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.

Serotonergic activityCertainty: Theoretical

Data provenance recorded for 26 of 26 pairings in this mechanism group.

+14 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.

Bleeding / anticoagulant riskCertainty: Theoretical

Data provenance recorded for 147 of 147 pairings in this mechanism group.

+135 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.

Moderate Caution

81 flagged pairings

Blood-pressure effects

Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.

Blood-pressure effectsCertainty: Theoretical

Data provenance recorded for 81 of 81 pairings in this mechanism group.

+69 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.

Evidence Summary

Profile-wide ·C Limited

Evidence lens

Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.

LimitedLimited evidence

Human clinical evidence: Not the primary signal

Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Inflammatory Signaling Modulation · Oxidative Stress Modulation · Mitochondrial Support

Research maturity: Theoretical / mechanistic research — Mechanistic or unresolved evidence is kept separate from established human outcomes.

Safety boundary: Safety note available — Human evidence is limited and often saffron derived.

This profile cites 1 human study.

Evidence Strength

Confidence estimate based on the design quality and consistency of published clinical trials.

Limited evidence

Crocetin has a limited evidence rating.

AdaptogenStress & MoodLongevity
Citation density
0.2
Sources
1
Effects
5
Research recency
Mixed recency
Evidence Grade

Grade C: Limited Evidence

Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.

Design Match
Narrative review
Risk of Bias
High
Consistency
Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a narrative review, drawn from 1 recorded study, none of which measured an outcome in people.
How evidence grades work

Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.

Strong
Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
Moderate
Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
Preliminary / Mixed
Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
Traditional / Theoretical
Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (1)0 human evidence sources · 0 human trials · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable

What the evidence actually shows

This table contains 1 structured source, including 0 human evidence sources; 0 are human trials.

StudyDesignNDoseDurationPopulationOutcomeResult & magnitudeSource

Crocetin: A Systematic Review

Guo ZL et al. · Front Pharmacol · 2021

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

——————PubMed →

How Crocetin Works

Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.

Mechanism Pathway — How Crocetin Works

How Crocetin WorksCrocetin acts on biological target pathways via anti inflammatory, leading to nrf2.CrocetinBiological TargetBiological pathwayAnti InflammatoryNrf2Observable outcomeAntioxidantParallel pathway
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome

Dosing

Common form
capsule or standardized extract
No standardized dose
Our source data records the usual product form for this ingredient but no studied dose. Preparations differ widely, so follow the standardization on the product you actually have and speak to a clinician before starting.
Mechanisms & biological pathways

Preclinical mechanism details from scientific profiles; these represent plausible pathways but do not guarantee clinical efficacy in humans.

  • Inflammatory Signaling Modulation
  • Oxidative Stress Modulation
  • Mitochondrial Support
  • Metabolic Regulation
  • Vascular Function Support
  • Stress Response Modulation

Guides that use Crocetin

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Related research paths

Compare & Sourcing

Compare side-by-side tradeoffs or verify active marker guidelines.

Related alternatives

Black SeedBlack TeaBlueberryBuckwheat

Herbs for similar conditions

Garlic Allium sativumGinkgoGarlicHibiscus

Tradeoffs

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Safety first · Harm reduction

This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.

Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.

Editorial Review

Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.

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