Bioactive Compounds and Biological Activities of Crocosmia (Crocosmia Planch.)

The corms of Crocosmia are a source of potent antioxidants, and their extracts can be used in the pharmaceutical industry, as in cosmetics products and antifungal, antibacterial, and anticancer substances. Crocosmia corms contain biologically active substances from the groups saponins (crocosmiosides, desacylmasonosides, masonosides, medicagenic acid, medicagenic acid 3-O-triglucoside, and polygallic acid), phenolic acid (caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and gallic acid), flavonoids (montbretins, kaempferol, kaempferol 3-O-rhamnosylglucoside, quercetin, quercetin 3-O-glucoside), and carotenoids (crocin, β-carotene). The use of GA3 at a concentration of 400–600 mg dm−3 to soak corms before planting has a beneficial effect on the content of most biologically active substances, with the exception of crocin and medicagenic acid 3-O-triglucoside.