Saffron is the red dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L. flowers and used both as a spice and as a drug in traditional therapeutic. The biological activity of saffron in modern medicine is in development. Its numerous applications as an anti-oxidant and anti-cancer agent are due to its secondary metabolites and their derivatives (safranal, crocins, crocetin, dimethylcrocetin). The aim of this study was to examine the interaction of transfer RNA with safranal, crocetin, and dimethylcrocetin in aqueous solution at physiological conditions. Constant tRNA concentration (6.25 mM) and various drug/tRNA (phosphate) molar ratios of 1/48 to 1/8 were used. FT-IR and UV-Visible difference spectroscopic methods have been applied to determine the drug binding mode, the binding constants and the effects of drug complexation on the stability and conformation of tRNA duplex. External binding mode was observed for safranal crocetin and dimethylcrocetin, with overall binding constants K_safranal = 6.8 (± 0.34) × 10³ M^-1, K_CRT = 1.4 (± 0.31) × 10⁴ M^-1, and K_DMCRT = 3.4 (± 0.30) × 10⁴ M^-1. Transfer RNA remains in the A-family structure, upon safranal, crocetin and dimethylcrocetin complexation.

Keywords: tRNA; Crocus sativus L.; Saffron; Safranal; Crocetin; Dimethylcrocetin; Binding sites; Binding constant; Conformation; FT-IR; UV-Visible spectroscopy.