BAX and carcinoma: Although the exact mechanism for the anticancer properties of crocetin requires additional investigation, the present results confirmed that crocetin exhibits anticancer properties through three pathways as follows: the inhibition of cell proliferation by blocking the cell cycle progression between S and G2 phase; the induction of apoptosis by increasing the activity of the proapoptotic protein Bax and the activation of caspase 3 levels; and the inhibition of carcinoma cell migration.