Saffron & Multiple Sclerosis (MS)‎

Saffron has shown promise as a means of decreasing MS symptoms. Various strategies are currently in clinical trials which rely on antioxidant diets to decrease the oxidative stress typical of MS. After administering an ethanol extract of the spice, researchers observed a reduction in clinical indications and leukocyte infiltration in a model of test autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Other studies suggest that the glycosidic esters found in crocetin (saffron) may help stop demyelination and neurodegeneration. These findings suggest that saffron may one day prove valuable in the treatment of MS on several fronts.