%0 Journal Article %T Razi’s Al-Hawi and saffron (Crocus sativus): a review %J Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences %I Mashhad University of Medical Sciences %Z 2008-3866 %A Mollazadeh, Hamid %A Emami, Seyyed Ahmad %A Hosseinzadeh, Hossein %D 2015 %\ 12/01/2015 %V 18 %N 12 %P 1153-1166 %! Razi’s Al-Hawi and saffron (Crocus sativus): a review %K Al-Hawi %K Crocin %K Crocus sativus L %K Razi %K Saffron %K Safranal %K Traditional Medicine %R 10.22038/ijbms.2015.6267 %X Traditional knowledge can be used as a source for development of new medicines. In the present study, we compare the data on saffron in Razi's Al-Hawi book with modern scientific studies. A computerized search of published articles was performed using MEDLINE, Scopus as well as native references. The search terms used were saffron, Crocus sativus, crocetin, crocin, safranal, Razi, and Al-Hawi. A variety of properties of saffron including diuretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, appetite suppressant, hypnotic, antidepressant, and bronchodilator effects were mentioned in Al-Hawi. Modern studies also confirmed most of these characteristics. This review indicates that the pharmacological data on saffron and its constituents are similar to those found in Razi’s Al-Hawi monograph and it can be concluded that ethnobotanical information and ancient sources have precious data about medicinal plants that lead to finding new compounds for treatment of several diseases. %U https://ijbms.mums.ac.ir/article_6267_89e47d4abc9910933814bddbdb27b0b1.pdf