Abstract

The medicinal plant Crocus sativus L., or saffron, is well-known for its antioxidant and therapeutic qualities in addition to its high concentration of secondary metabolites. With a focus on valorizing the plant's underutilized parts, the present study intended to investigate the biochemical analysis, antioxidant action, antimicrobial activities, and acute toxicity of various extracts obtained from Moroccan saffron. Total polyphenol content (TPC) was determined in aqueous preparation. Flowers had the highest concentration, followed by stigmas, bulbs, and leaves (854, 848, 276 and 123 mg GAE/g dry matter (DM), respectively). For total flavonoids (TFC), stigmas revealed the highest concentration (106 mg QE/g DM), followed by flowers (47 mg), bulbs (38 mg) and leaves (28 mg). As for condensed tannins (CT), the highest levels were recorded in leaves with 449 mg CE/g, followed by flowers with 325 mg CE/g, then stigmas 293 mg CE/g, and finally bulbs 275 mg CE/g. Concerning antioxidant activity, flower extracts showed a concentration value to inhibit 50 % (IC50) of 59.38 mg/mL, those of stigmas an IC50 of 68.86 mg/mL, those of leaves an IC50 of 74.16 mg/mL, and those of bulbs an IC50 of 126.51 mg/mL. Leaves and bulbs extracts demonstrate less intense activity, with values of IC50 of 74.16 mg/mL and 126.51 mg/mL, respectively were higher than the IC50 of the ascorbic acid (0.082 mg/mL). As for the antibacterial activity, low sensitivity was detected, which confirmed that Safran does not represent a marked antibacterial activity. An acute toxicity study was also conducted on rats, by orally administrating different doses of Safran (500, 1500 and 4000 mg\kg), the determination the lethal dose 50 (LD50 > 4000 mg\kg) was carried out. The toxicity tests revealed that at high doses (> 4000 mg/kg), saffron does not significantly affect the biochemical parameters in the groups treated with saffron. The parts of saffron that are not used, such as the flowers, the bulbs, and the leaves, indicated a notable antioxidant potential, suggesting a promising utilization in different domains. which supports further investigation in terms of potential therapeutic applications.