TNF and cancer: The authors further showed that crocin inhibited cancers by downregulating the transcription of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], nuclear factor-κB [NF-κB], interleukin-6 [IL-6], interferon-γ, COX-2, IL-1β, and inducible NO synthase [iNOS] (Figure 2).