Drug & supplement interaction

Saffron + Interferon Beta-1a

Interferon Beta-1a brand names: Rebif, Avonex.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Saffron and Interferon Beta-1a in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first.

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Interaction report

Saffron and Interferon Beta-1a

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Interferon Beta-1a and Saffron in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Saffron safety at a glance

Saffron overall Use caution Likely safe in food amounts, but supplement doses should be used carefully and high doses can be toxic.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally in amounts exceeding those commonly found in foods. Larger amounts of saffron have uterine stimulant and abortifacient effects; avoid using. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Use caution Not enough reliable safety information, so it is best to avoid supplement amounts.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Interferon Beta-1a and Saffron? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Interferon Beta-1a

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Interferon Beta-1a is filed under 2 classifications — photosensitizing drugs, hepatotoxic drugs. Saffron has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (moderate), antihypertensive drugs (moderate) and caffeine (moderate) — and none of Interferon Beta-1a’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Saffron Does Interact With Other Medications

Saffron has 521 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Interferon Beta-1a isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 521 No known interaction 2,309 (incl. Interferon Beta-1a)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Saffron

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Saffron. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

What Saffron Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Interferon Beta-1a. It is the side-effect record for Saffron on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Saffron, this list is the first place to look. 4 entries are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Mania or an unusually elevated mood Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, saffron has been reported to cause anxiety and hypomania when given at doses of 30 mg twice daily for 26 weeks. At doses of 30 mg daily for 6 weeks, the occurrence rate was similar to placebo. One report of agitation occurred in a clinical trial. The patient was taking the saffron constituent crocin 15 mg twice daily. It is unclear whether this event was related to treatment with the saffron constituent.”

    Saffron · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anxiety.

    4 sources cited
    1. 18102. Safarinejad MR, Shafiei N, Safarinejad S. A prospective double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study of the effect of saffron (Crocus sativus Linn.) on semen parameters and seminal plasma antioxidant capacity in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasth
    2. 13103. Akhondzadeh S, Tahmacebi-Pour N, Noorbala AA, et al. Crocus sativus L. in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Phytother Res 2005;19:148-51.
    3. 93395. Akhondzadeh S, Sabet MS, Harirchian MH, Togha M, Cheraghmakani H, Razeghi S, Hejazi SSh, Yousefi MH, Alimardani R, Jamshidi A, Zare F, Moradi A. Saffron in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease: a 16-week, randomized and plac
    4. 93410. Talaei A, Hassanpour Moghadam M, Sajadi Tabassi SA, Mohajeri SA. Crocin, the main active saffron constituent, as an adjunctive treatment in major depressive disorder: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot clinical trial. J Affect Disord. 2 PubMed
  • Wheezing Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Allergy to oral saffron has been reported in clinical trials. Anaphylactic reactions can occur within minutes of eating food prepared with saffron. Occupational exposure to saffron has been associated with the development of rhinoconjunctivitis and allergy-induced asthma.”

    Saffron · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

    4 sources cited
    1. 93404. Mazidi M, Shemshian M, Mousavi SH, Norouzy A, Kermani T, Moghiman T, Sadeghi A, Mokhber N, Ghayour-Mobarhan M, Ferns GA. A double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) in the treatment of anxiety and depression. J C
    2. 4107. Wuthrich B, Schmid-Grendelmeyer P, Lundberg M. Anaphylaxis to saffron. Allergy 1997;52:476-7. PubMed
    3. 72555. Wuthrich, B., Schmid-Grendelmeyer, P., and Lundberg, M. Anaphylaxis to saffron. Allergy 1997;52(4):476-477. PubMed
    4. 4106. Feo F, Martinez J, Martinez A, et al. Occupational allergy in saffron workers. Allergy 1997;52:633-41. PubMed
  • A severe allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, saffron extract seems to be generally well tolerated.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Orally: Gastrointestinal complaints, nausea, sedation, vomiting.

    Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

    Orally: Anaphylaxis.”

    Saffron · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, saffron extract has been reported to cause decreases in platelet, white blood cell, and red blood cell counts after 7 days to 12 weeks of use with doses of 60-200 mg daily. Many of these decreases were only significant when compared to baseline but did not maintain significance when compared to placebo.”

    Saffron · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    6 sources cited
    1. 18102. Safarinejad MR, Shafiei N, Safarinejad S. A prospective double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study of the effect of saffron (Crocus sativus Linn.) on semen parameters and seminal plasma antioxidant capacity in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasth
    2. 72473. Modaghegh, M. H., Shahabian, M., Esmaeili, H. A., Rajbai, O., and Hosseinzadeh, H. Safety evaluation of saffron (Crocus sativus) tablets in healthy volunteers. Phytomedicine. 2008;15(12):1032-1037. PubMed
    3. 93403. Kianbakht S, Ghazavi A. Immunomodulatory effects of saffron: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytother Res. 2011 Dec;25(12):1801-5. PubMed
    4. 93409. Safarinejad MR, Shafiei N, Safarinejad S. An open label, randomized, fixed-dose, crossover study comparing efficacy and safety of sildenafil citrate and saffron (Crocus sativus Linn.) for treating erectile dysfunction in men naïve to treatment. Int J Impo PubMed
    5. 2. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
    6. 11. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.

    “One report of excessive uterine bleeding occurred in a clinical trial. The patient was taking the saffron constituent crocin 15 mg twice daily. It is unclear whether this event was related to treatment with the saffron constituent.

    Saffron poisoning can occur with oral intake of doses of 5 grams or more; symptoms include bleeding from the uterus (2,11).”

    Saffron · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in myasthenia gravis.

    3 sources cited
    1. 93410. Talaei A, Hassanpour Moghadam M, Sajadi Tabassi SA, Mohajeri SA. Crocin, the main active saffron constituent, as an adjunctive treatment in major depressive disorder: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot clinical trial. J Affect Disord. 2 PubMed
    2. 2. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
    3. 11. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
  • Loss of bladder control Additional detail

    “Orally, the saffron constituent crocin given as 15 mg twice daily for 12 week was associated with one case of urinary incontinence. Saffron poisoning can occur with oral intake of doses of 5 grams or more; symptoms include hematuria and uremic collapse (2,11).”

    Saffron · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in myasthenia gravis.

    3 sources cited
    1. 105616. Abbaszadeh-Mashkani S, Hoque SS, Banafshe HR, Ghaderi A. The effect of crocin (the main active saffron constituent) on the cognitive functions, craving, and withdrawal syndrome in opioid patients under methadone maintenance treatment. Phytother Res. 2021; PubMed
    2. 2. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
    3. 11. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
  • Flushing / Sweating Additional detail

    “Orally, sweating and flushing have been reported in clinical research for patients taking saffron 30-60 mg daily. Saffron poisoning can occur with oral intake of doses of 5 grams or more and symptoms include yellow appearance of the skin (2,11).”

    Saffron · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in myasthenia gravis.

    4 sources cited
    1. 93402. Kashani L, Eslatmanesh S, Saedi N, Niroomand N, Ebrahimi M, Hosseinian M, Foroughifar T, Salimi S, Akhondzadeh S. Comparison of Saffron versus Fluoxetine in Treatment of Mild to Moderate Postpartum Depression: A Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial. Ph PubMed
    2. 93409. Safarinejad MR, Shafiei N, Safarinejad S. An open label, randomized, fixed-dose, crossover study comparing efficacy and safety of sildenafil citrate and saffron (Crocus sativus Linn.) for treating erectile dysfunction in men naïve to treatment. Int J Impo PubMed
    3. 2. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
    4. 11. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
  • Dry mouth Additional detail

    “Orally, saffron has been associated with changes in appetite, nausea, and vomiting when given at doses of 30 mg twice daily for 26 weeks, or when the saffron constituent crocin was given as 15 mg twice daily for 12 weeks. At lower doses of 30 mg daily, the occurrence rate of these and other adverse events such as dry mouth, dyspepsia, diarrhea, and constipation was rare or similar to placebo.”

    Saffron · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    6 sources cited
    1. 18102. Safarinejad MR, Shafiei N, Safarinejad S. A prospective double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study of the effect of saffron (Crocus sativus Linn.) on semen parameters and seminal plasma antioxidant capacity in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasth
    2. 105616. Abbaszadeh-Mashkani S, Hoque SS, Banafshe HR, Ghaderi A. The effect of crocin (the main active saffron constituent) on the cognitive functions, craving, and withdrawal syndrome in opioid patients under methadone maintenance treatment. Phytother Res. 2021; PubMed
    3. 13103. Akhondzadeh S, Tahmacebi-Pour N, Noorbala AA, et al. Crocus sativus L. in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Phytother Res 2005;19:148-51.
    4. 93395. Akhondzadeh S, Sabet MS, Harirchian MH, Togha M, Cheraghmakani H, Razeghi S, Hejazi SSh, Yousefi MH, Alimardani R, Jamshidi A, Zare F, Moradi A. Saffron in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease: a 16-week, randomized and plac
    5. 93402. Kashani L, Eslatmanesh S, Saedi N, Niroomand N, Ebrahimi M, Hosseinian M, Foroughifar T, Salimi S, Akhondzadeh S. Comparison of Saffron versus Fluoxetine in Treatment of Mild to Moderate Postpartum Depression: A Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial. Ph PubMed
    6. 93409. Safarinejad MR, Shafiei N, Safarinejad S. An open label, randomized, fixed-dose, crossover study comparing efficacy and safety of sildenafil citrate and saffron (Crocus sativus Linn.) for treating erectile dysfunction in men naïve to treatment. Int J Impo PubMed
  • Numbness or tingling Additional detail

    “Orally, saffron has been reported to cause drowsiness, headache, agitation, and sedation when given at doses of 30 mg twice daily for up to 26 weeks or when crocin is given as 15 mg twice daily for 12 weeks. At doses of 30 mg daily for 6 weeks, the side effect occurrence rate was similar to placebo. Saffron poisoning can occur with oral intake of doses of 5 grams or more; symptoms include vertigo and numbness (2,11).”

    Saffron · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    5 sources cited
    1. 18102. Safarinejad MR, Shafiei N, Safarinejad S. A prospective double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study of the effect of saffron (Crocus sativus Linn.) on semen parameters and seminal plasma antioxidant capacity in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasth
    2. 105616. Abbaszadeh-Mashkani S, Hoque SS, Banafshe HR, Ghaderi A. The effect of crocin (the main active saffron constituent) on the cognitive functions, craving, and withdrawal syndrome in opioid patients under methadone maintenance treatment. Phytother Res. 2021; PubMed
    3. 13103. Akhondzadeh S, Tahmacebi-Pour N, Noorbala AA, et al. Crocus sativus L. in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Phytother Res 2005;19:148-51.
    4. 2. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
    5. 11. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
  • Drowsiness Additional detail

    Recorded for Saffron in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A severe allergic reaction above.

Showing the 10 most notable of 18 recorded effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Saffron — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We haven’t matched Interferon Beta-1a to its FDA label in our system yet, so we can’t compare its own side-effect list here — the leaflet that comes with your prescription is the authoritative list for Interferon Beta-1a.

Special populations

Saffron in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Unsafe

When used orally in amounts exceeding those commonly found in foods. Larger amounts of saffron have uterine stimulant and abortifacient effects; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

From our Q&A

Questions About Saffron or Interferon Beta-1a

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Saffron or Interferon Beta-1a, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Interferon Beta-1a

This page covers Saffron only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Interferon Beta-1a page lists 57 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major), Alfalfa (moderate) and Angelica Archangelica (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 53 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Interferon Beta-1a page

“Siberian cocklebur, an herb tied to documented cases of liver failure, is the first name to know for anyone injecting interferon beta-1a (Rebif, Avonex) for multiple sclerosis. Interferon beta-1a can strain the liver on its own, which is why prescribers order routine liver blood tests, and 38 of the 57 supplements on file carry that sa…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Interferon Beta-1a interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Saffron as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 418 real supplement products containing Saffron, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Saffron. Even though Saffron itself has no known interaction with Interferon Beta-1a, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Saffron and Interferon Beta-1a Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Saffron
Top 25%

#233 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Interferon Beta-1a
Steady interest

#2,320 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Saffron reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Saffron and Interferon Beta-1a records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Saffron

What is Saffron?

Saffron
  • Depression and low mood
  • Anxiety
  • PMS symptoms
  • Memory and cognition
  • Eye health (age-related macular degeneration)

Saffron is a costly spice that has shown promise in early studies for mild-to-moderate depression and some mood and PMS symptoms, but most research uses small trials, so results are not definitive. It is generally well tolerated in food and small supplement amounts, but high doses can be harmful and it should be avoided in pregnancy. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using saffron supplements.

Crocus sativus · Iridaceae · Dried stigmas of the flower · Capsules, tablets, dried spice, extracts, tea

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Saffron is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Saffron record says about it on its own.

Saffron: dosing

There is no official, standardized dose of saffron for any health condition. Many supplement studies have used standardized extracts, but products vary widely in strength and quality.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount. Because high doses can be harmful, more is not better with saffron.

From our Saffron monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Saffron monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection

What Is Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection Used For?

Brand names: Rebif, Avonex

  • Interferon beta-1a intramuscular injection is used to treat adults with various forms of multiple sclerosis (MS; a disease in which the nerves do not function properly and people may experience weakness, numbness, loss of muscle coordination, and problems with vision, speech, and bladder control) including:

    • clinically isolated syndrome (CIS; nerve symptom episodes that last at least 24 hours),

    • relapsing-remitting forms (course of disease where symptoms flare up from time to time), or

    • secondary progressive forms (course of disease where relapses occur more often).

  • Interferon beta-1a is in a class of medications called immunomodulators. It works by decreasing inflammation and preventing nerve damage that may cause symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Interferon Beta-1a

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (192,069 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Multiple sclerosis relapse 15,851 reports
Influenza like illness 13,253 reports
Fatigue 11,554 reports
Fall 10,604 reports
Multiple sclerosis 9,358 reports
See full Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Saffron

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Saffron — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
521Moderate
0Minor
2,308No known interaction
521 Moderate 2,308 No interaction
Moderate

521 interactions

Showing 60 of 521 moderate interactions — see all 521 on the Saffron page.

No interaction 2,308 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Saffron against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,308 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Saffron list.

See the full Saffron interactions page
See every supplement checked against Interferon Beta-1a, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Saffron References

The 22 references that drive our Saffron monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
  2. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
  3. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  4. Feo F, Martinez J, Martinez A, et al. Occupational allergy in saffron workers. Allergy 1997;52:633-41. PubMed
  5. Wuthrich B, Schmid-Grendelmeyer P, Lundberg M. Anaphylaxis to saffron. Allergy 1997;52:476-7. PubMed
  6. Akhondzadeh S, Tahmacebi-Pour N, Noorbala AA, et al. Crocus sativus L. in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Phytother Res 2005;19:148-51.
  7. Safarinejad MR, Shafiei N, Safarinejad S. A prospective double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study of the effect of saffron (Crocus sativus Linn.) on semen parameters and seminal plasma antioxidant capacity in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasth
  8. Fatehi, M., Rashidabady, T., and Fatehi-Hassanabad, Z. Effects of Crocus sativus petals' extract on rat blood pressure and on responses induced by electrical field stimulation in the rat isolated vas deferens and guinea-pig ileum. J Ethnopharmacol. 2003; PubMed
  9. Modaghegh, M. H., Shahabian, M., Esmaeili, H. A., Rajbai, O., and Hosseinzadeh, H. Safety evaluation of saffron (Crocus sativus) tablets in healthy volunteers. Phytomedicine. 2008;15(12):1032-1037. PubMed
  10. Imenshahidi, M., Hosseinzadeh, H., and Javadpour, Y. Hypotensive effect of aqueous saffron extract (Crocus sativus L.) and its constituents, safranal and crocin, in normotensive and hypertensive rats. Phytother.Res 12-9-2009;
  11. Zhang, Y., Shoyama, Y., Sugiura, M., and Saito, H. Effects of Crocus sativus L. on the ethanol-induced impairment of passive avoidance performances in mice. Biol.Pharm Bull. 1994;17(2):217-221. PubMed
  12. Wuthrich, B., Schmid-Grendelmeyer, P., and Lundberg, M. Anaphylaxis to saffron. Allergy 1997;52(4):476-477. PubMed
  13. Akhondzadeh S, Sabet MS, Harirchian MH, Togha M, Cheraghmakani H, Razeghi S, Hejazi SSh, Yousefi MH, Alimardani R, Jamshidi A, Zare F, Moradi A. Saffron in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease: a 16-week, randomized and plac
  14. Kashani L, Eslatmanesh S, Saedi N, Niroomand N, Ebrahimi M, Hosseinian M, Foroughifar T, Salimi S, Akhondzadeh S. Comparison of Saffron versus Fluoxetine in Treatment of Mild to Moderate Postpartum Depression: A Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial. Ph PubMed
  15. Kianbakht S, Ghazavi A. Immunomodulatory effects of saffron: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytother Res. 2011 Dec;25(12):1801-5. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Saffron and Interferon Beta-1a Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Saffron with Interferon Beta-1a?
We do not list a known interaction between Saffron and Interferon Beta-1a. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
How was the Saffron and Interferon Beta-1a combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Interferon Beta-1a is filed under 2 classifications, and Saffron has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — none of Interferon Beta-1a's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Saffron interact with any other medications?
Yes. Saffron has 521 documented drug interactions in our database — Interferon Beta-1a is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Interferon Beta-1a interact with any supplements?
Yes. Interferon Beta-1a has documented interactions with 57 supplements in our database — Saffron is not one of them. The Interferon Beta-1a interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Saffron monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Interferon Beta-1a supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Interferon Beta-1a, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 22 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Interferon Beta-1a and Saffron?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.