<p>Test findings suggest the spice reverses age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, the most common cause of blindness in old people, the Daily mail reported on its website Saturday. </p>.<p>“Patients' vision improved after taking the saffron pill,” said professor Silvia Bisti, of the University of Sydney, who carried out the research. “When they were tested with traditional eye charts, a number of them could read one or two lines smaller than before, while others reported they could read newspapers and books again.”<br />The finding is timely as it is thought the number of AMD sufferers will treble in the next 25 years as the population ages. <br /><br />It currently affects a quarter of over-60s in Britain and more than half of over-75s. <br />There are few treatments for the condition - and no cure. <br />While peripheral vision is not affected, the damage to central vision leads to many sufferers being registered as blind or partially sighted. <br />Saffron has actually been used in traditional medicine for centuries to treat a range of ailments, though Professor Bisti is the first to look at its effects on eyesight. <br />In tests carried out in Italy - where saffron is widely cultivated - pensioners with AMD were given a daily saffron pill for three months followed by a dummy drug for a further three months. <br /><br />A second group took the supplements in the reverse order. Twenty-five took part in all. <br />“All patients experienced improvements in their vision while taking the saffron pill,” Bisti said. “But when they stopped taking it, the effect quickly disappeared.”<br />She added: “The chemistry of saffron is quite complex. It is well-known as an anti-oxidant but no one has explored its effects on eyesight before.”<br /><br />She believes saffron, which is widely used in Spanish and Indian cooking, affects the amount of fat stored by the eye, making vision cells “tougher and more resilient”.<br />Saffron is used in traditional medicine for treating conditions including cancerous tumours and depression. The spice also has properties which encourage oxygen flow and prevents cell death. <br /><br />Researchers are now hoping to discover the ideal dosage. They will also look at saffron's ability to treat genetic eye diseases that can cause life-long blindness</p>
<p>Test findings suggest the spice reverses age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, the most common cause of blindness in old people, the Daily mail reported on its website Saturday. </p>.<p>“Patients' vision improved after taking the saffron pill,” said professor Silvia Bisti, of the University of Sydney, who carried out the research. “When they were tested with traditional eye charts, a number of them could read one or two lines smaller than before, while others reported they could read newspapers and books again.”<br />The finding is timely as it is thought the number of AMD sufferers will treble in the next 25 years as the population ages. <br /><br />It currently affects a quarter of over-60s in Britain and more than half of over-75s. <br />There are few treatments for the condition - and no cure. <br />While peripheral vision is not affected, the damage to central vision leads to many sufferers being registered as blind or partially sighted. <br />Saffron has actually been used in traditional medicine for centuries to treat a range of ailments, though Professor Bisti is the first to look at its effects on eyesight. <br />In tests carried out in Italy - where saffron is widely cultivated - pensioners with AMD were given a daily saffron pill for three months followed by a dummy drug for a further three months. <br /><br />A second group took the supplements in the reverse order. Twenty-five took part in all. <br />“All patients experienced improvements in their vision while taking the saffron pill,” Bisti said. “But when they stopped taking it, the effect quickly disappeared.”<br />She added: “The chemistry of saffron is quite complex. It is well-known as an anti-oxidant but no one has explored its effects on eyesight before.”<br /><br />She believes saffron, which is widely used in Spanish and Indian cooking, affects the amount of fat stored by the eye, making vision cells “tougher and more resilient”.<br />Saffron is used in traditional medicine for treating conditions including cancerous tumours and depression. The spice also has properties which encourage oxygen flow and prevents cell death. <br /><br />Researchers are now hoping to discover the ideal dosage. They will also look at saffron's ability to treat genetic eye diseases that can cause life-long blindness</p>
