Introduction
Saffron is cultivated mostly in the Kashmir valley of India. The saffron grown here is light, thin, red in colour and has a beautiful fragrance like lotus. Real saffron is very expensive. Kashmiri Mongra is considered the best. It is also grown in large quantities in foreign countries and is imported to India. The saffron plant is perennial and is 15 to 25 cm tall. It has long, thin and pointed leaves like grass. Purple coloured flowers grow in it either singly or in numbers of 2 to 3. Three strands of saffron are obtained from one flower. Its seeds are rectangular and three-angled from which round kernels emerge. According to Ayurveda: According to Ayurveda, saffron is a stimulant and increases sexual power. It is also beneficial in problems of bladder, spleen, liver, brain and eyes. It also has the property of curing inflammation. According to scientists: On analyzing the chemical composition of saffron, it has been found that it contains 1.37% oil, 12% moisture, a bitter substance called picrocin, sugar, wax, protein, ash and three colouring substances. Saffron is used as a colouring substance in many food items. Identification of real saffron: Real saffron dissolves completely in water. If yellow saffron colour comes out by soaking saffron in water and rubbing it on a cloth, then it should be considered as real saffron and if first red colour comes out and later turns yellow, then it should be considered as fake saffron. Treatment for various diseases 1. Lower vision: By rubbing saffron in rose water and applying it regularly in the eyes, eyesight increases. 2. Impotence: Impotence can be cured by eating saffron, nutmeg and mace 2-3 times a day by keeping it in betel leaf. 3. Mutraghat: Eating saffron mixed with ghee every day cures the disease of Mutraghat (semen coming in urine). 4. Cold, cough: By mixing saffron in milk and drinking it 3 times a day regularly for a few days, cold, cough and fever are cured. In case of cold and cough in children, mix about 24 to 36 milligrams of saffron in hot milk and give it to them in the morning and evening. Grind saffron and apply it on the forehead and chest. It gives relief in cough. 5. Anjanahari: Grating saffron and mixing it in cold water and applying it on the eyes cures `Anjanahari´ (stye). Grating saffron and opium in rose water and applying it on the eyes cures redness of the eyes.
6. Pneumonia:
If the child has pneumonia due to cold, then mix 240 to 480 milligrams of saffron in warm milk and feed it to the child. Along with this, massage the forehead and chest with saffron paste. This gives quick relief in pneumonia. 7. Flatulence (formation of gas): Drinking 120 to 240 milligrams of saffron with honey cures flatulence. It is also beneficial for diarrhea and vomiting. 8. Pregnancy: Mix saffron and nagkesar in the amount of 4-4 grams and make powder and eat it immediately after the menstruation starts. This leads to pregnancy. Grind and filter the root of Gajkesar, beard of Peepal and seeds of Shivlingi in the amount of 6-6 grams and add 18 grams of sugar to it. Mix 5 grams of this in 250 milliliter of raw milk of a cow with a calf in the morning and eat it for about a week after the menstruation ends. By consuming this, women become capable of conceiving.
9. Constipation:
1 year old constipation is cured by grinding half gram of saffron in ghee and eating it.
10. Diarrhea:
Consuming 1 to 2 strands of real saffron mixed in pure ghee cures loose motions in children.
Taking 2 grams of real saffron mixed in pure ghee with rice and feeding it to the child stops frequent diarrhoea.
Mixing asafoetida, opium and saffron and eating it with honey cures diarrhoea.
Taking 120 to 240 milligrams of saffron with honey cures diarrhoea, bloating and stomach pain.
11. Deafness:
Take 3-3 grams of saffron, pink alum and alum and grind them finely and mix them with 50 millilitres of basil juice and put 3-4 drops in the ear. Using this continuously for a few days cures deafness.
12. Dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation):
Mix 200 mg of saffron in milk and drink it 2 to 3 times a day to relieve the pain of menstruation.
13. Irregularity of menstruation:
Mix saffron and aconite in the form of tablets and eat them to regulate menstruation.
14. Memorygia:
Mix 60 to 180 mg of saffron powder in sugar syrup and drink it to cure menorrhagia.
15. Increasing milk in breasts:
Grind saffron in water and apply it on the breasts to increase milk in the breasts.
16. Premature ejaculation:
Put saffron in milk and drink it to cure premature ejaculation.
17. Intestinal worms:
Grind saffron and cinnamon in equal amounts and make small tablets. Consuming 1 tablet each in the morning and evening eliminates intestinal worms and cures stomach pain. Mix camphor and saffron in 60-60 milligrams each with a spoon of milk and give it to the patient 3 times a day. This kills the stomach worms.
Grind 120 milligrams of saffron and consume it with milk for a few days to kill the stomach worms.
18. Stomach ache:
Grind 3 grams of saffron with 3 grams of cinnamon and consume it with warm water to end stomach ache.
Eating 120 to 240 milligrams of saffron in the morning and evening and applying it as a paste on the stomach by mixing it with water is beneficial in pain, flatulence (gas) and diarrhea.
Consuming 120 milligrams of saffron and camphor with warm milk cures stomach ache.
19. Heart weakness:
Mix 120 milligrams of saffron in 50 milliliter of water and soak it in an earthen pot at night. Eat 20-25 raisins in the morning and drink this water. Consuming it for 15 days cures heart weakness.
20. Hysteria:
Take 10-10 grams of saffron, vacha and peepalamul and grind them to make a powder. Taking 5 grams of this powder with water cures hysteria.
21. Sheetla (Masurika):
In the initial stage of smallpox, grind 60 milligrams of saffron finely and feed it to the patient with raisins without seeds, and the smallpox comes out quickly and is cured.
By consuming 240 to 480 milligrams of saffron with raw coconut water in the morning and evening, the smallpox (mata) rash comes out quickly and is cured.
22. Rickets:
Mix 10 grams of black cow's urine and 10 grams of saffron in a bottle before sunrise in the morning. Giving 5 drops of this to a child suffering from rickets with mother's milk in the morning and evening cures rickets.
23. Various diseases of children:
Grind saffron and mix it with honey and apply it to the eyes, it relieves irritation in the eyes.
Mixing the juice of Falaktari flowers, saffron and honey and licking it cures cough in children.
If the child has caught cold, mix a little saffron in milk and feed it to him. In winters, it is very beneficial to feed saffron mixed in milk after 3 to 4 days.
If children have worms in their stomach, feeding saffron and camphor in the amount of a quarter spoon followed by feeding them milk kills the worms.
Make a decoction of saffron, liquorice, peepal and nishoth and soak it in clay soil and dry it. Soak and dry it four times and then feed this soil to the child. By eating this, the soil in the child's stomach comes out.
24. Headache:
Mix 5 grams of saffron, 25 grams of cow ghee and 50 grams of old cotton of semal and burn it and the patient suffering from headache should smell its smoke. This cures headache as well as migraine.
Headache is cured by frying saffron in ghee and smelling it by adding sugar candy.
In case of headache caused by wind or Vata, mix saffron and dry ginger and apply it on the head or forehead. This cures headache.
Grind saffron and sandalwood to make a paste and apply this paste on the head. This cures headache.
Grind saffron and almonds in cow's milk and smell it to cure headache.
25. Migraine:
Roast saffron and sugar in ghee and smell it to cure headache.
26. Facial beauty:
By boiling four to five petals of real saffron and a small cardamom in 250 ml milk and drinking it daily, the complexion of the face becomes clear. This milk should be consumed for one to two months in winter.
By mixing a little saffron in milk and drinking it, the complexion of dark-skinned people becomes fair.
27. Body swelling:
By grinding saffron with water and applying it as a paste, the swelling caused due to enlarged liver is cured.
