Coriander and cilantro have been used as spice and medicine for thousands of years. Modern science has uncovered their bioactive compounds which are beneficial for health

1. SPICE AS MEDICINE:
CORIANDER & CILANTRO
CORIANDRUM SATIVUM
By
Kevin KF Ng, MD, PhD
Former Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Clinical Pharmacology
University of Miami, Miami, FL., USA
Email: kevinng68@gmail.com
A Slide Presentation for HealthCare Provider Webinar Sept 2020

2. Outline of Lecture
▪ What is coriander and cilantro?
▪ History of coriander/cilantro
▪ World production of coriander
▪ Nutrients and bioactive compounds
▪ Pharmacology of bioactive compounds
▪ Scientific studies
▪ Uses of cilantro, coriander and essential oil
▪ Summary

3. What is coriander? What is cilantro?

4. Parts of coriander plant

5. Origin of coriander
▪ Coriandrum sativum, known as coriander, originated in the Mediterranean
▪ It is cultivated widely in The Netherlands, Central and Eastern Europe
(Russia, Hungary, and Holland), the Mediterranean (Morocco, Malta, and
Egypt), North Africa, China, India, and Bangladesh.
▪ All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and dried seeds are
commonly used in cooking in India and Pakistan.
▪ The coriander seed possesses medicinal properties and has been used
since time immemorial to treat disorders of the digestive, respiratory, and
urinary systems, as it has diaphoretic, diuretic, carminative, and stimulant
effects
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/coriander-

6. Milestones in the history of coriander.
▪ Coriander was known as far back as 5000 BC and is mentioned in the Bible in
Exodus 16:31.
▪ The use of the seeds at burials was recorded in 1550 BC.
▪ Its use by the Romans, Hippocrates and other Greek physicians is documented.
▪ The Chinese have cultivated coriander since the fourth century, and its use in India
and Europe dates back to early times.
▪ The name ‘coriandrum’ is derived from koros, a bug, referring to the disagreeable
fetid smell of the leaves.

7. Top Producing Countries of Coriander
https://www.tridge.com/intelligences/coriander/production

8. Scientific classification of coriander/cilantro

9. Vernacular names for coriander or cilantro
http://stuartxchange.org/Cilantro

10. Number of articles on coriander and cilantro in PubMed
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

11. Anatomy of a coriander plant
FlowersSeeds
Leaves

12. Anatomy of a coriander seed
https://bilalmz.blogspot.com/2017/09/macro-look-at-coriander-seeds.html

13. Nutrient Composition of Coriander plant

14. Nutrient composition of raw Coriander (cilantro) leaves
Macronutrient Vitamin Mineral
USDA data base
%DV
%DV
Per 100 g

15. Volatile Compounds Extracted from Coriander Leaves
▪ The yield of essential oil extracted from coriander leaves through hydrodistillation
and liquid-liquid extraction was 0.1 ± 0.01%.
▪ The major volatile compounds identified in coriander leaves essential oil (CLEO)
were:
▪ (E)-2-decenal (32.23%)
▪ linalool (13.97%)
▪ (E)-2-dodecenal (7.51%)
▪ (E)-2-tetradecenal (6.56%)
▪ 2-decen-1-ol (5.45%)
▪ (E)-2-undecenal (4.31%)
▪ dodecanal (4.07%)
▪ (E)-2-tridecenal (3.00%)
▪ (E)-2-hexadecenal (2.94%)
▪ pentadecenal (2.47%)
▪ α-pinene (1.9%).
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10942912.2010.500068#:~:text=The%20major%20volatile%
20compounds%20in%20coriander%20seed%20were%20linalool%20(55.59,D%2Dlimonene%20(1.36%25).

16. The major volatile compounds in coriander seed
identified through gas chromatography.
▪ The major volatile compounds in coriander seed were:
▪ linalool (55.59%)
▪ γ-terpinene (7.47%)
▪ α-pinene (7.14%)
▪ camphor (5.59%)
▪ decanal (4.69%)
▪ geranyl acetate (4.24%)
▪ limonene (3.10%)
▪ geraniol (2.23%)
▪ camphene (1.78%)
▪ D-limonene (1.36%).
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10942912.2010.500068#:~:text=The%20major%20volatile%20compounds
%20in%20coriander%20seed%20were%20linalool%20(55.59,D%2Dlimonene%20(1.36%25).

17. Chemical composition of C. sativum fruit essential oil
(data adapted from Soares et al., 2012)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2221169115000647#:~:
text=%5B21%5D%3A%20monoterpene%20hydrocarbons%20(,The%20C.

18. Composition variation of C. sativum essential oil from
seeds, flowers and leaves of the plant. (2015)
anticonvulsant

19. Scientific studies of coriander seed, leaf and oil

20. Reported effects of coriander bioactive compounds
▪ Antioxidant
▪ Antifungal properties
▪ Anti-inflammatory
▪ Antidiabetic
▪ Antihypertensive
▪ Antihyperlipidemic
▪ Anticancer
▪ Skin health
▪ Anticonvulsant
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/277627.php#benefits

21. Novel compounds in fruits of coriander with
anti-inflammatory activity (2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464620303698#f0020
Inhibition of NF-kB by coriander fruit compounds

22. Anti-inflammatory Effect of
oral C. sativum extract, essential oil and prednisolone
on Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in colitis in rats (2016)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4877963/
essential oil
C. sativum extract
prednisolone

23. Effect of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) Seed Ethanol
Extract in Experimental Diabetes (2011)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123756886100477
Treatment with coriander seed extract significantly increased active beta cells

24. Effects of aqueous extract of coriander on insulin secretion by
pancreatic (BRIN-BD11) cells (1999)
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Insulin-releasing-and-insulin-like-
activity-of-the-Gray-Flatt/fe6183befc9d42e251a13771cb68b51654d2a412

25. Effect of different doses of essential oil of
coriander seeds (E200-E600, ip), diazepam (DZ, 3 mg/kg, ip) and saline
on pentobarbital-induced sleeping time in 7 mice
latency to sleep sleep duration
IJMS Vol 31, No 1, March 2006

26. Effects of coriander extracts (leaf, seed),
linalool, (E)-2-decanal, and decanal on pentobarbital-induced
somnolence onset and duration time in mice (2019)
Onset
Onset
Duration
Duration
https://symbiosisonlinepublishing.com/nutritionalhealth-foodscience/nutritionalhealth-foodscience154.php
leaf seed
leaf seed

27. Anticonvulsant property of dodecanal on neural
potassium (KCNQA,Kv7) channels
The long-chain fatty aldehyde (E)-2-dodecenal
activates multiple KCNQ channels that regulate
electrical activity in the brain and heart. This
dodecanal probably explains the herb’s
anticonvulsant effect and delays certain chemically-
induced seizures.
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20190725/Why-cilantro-(coriander)-is-good-for-your-health.aspx

28. Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibition Activity of
Coriander Oils and Fennel (2013)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1934578X1300800531

29. Bioavailability of volatile essential oils
Adapted from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QicBAUFX7VA&feature=share

30. Common uses of coriander plant

31. Clinical Studies
▪ Much research has been done on laboratory animals in the following areas:
▪ More research needs to be done to support the above pharmacological properties

32. Effect of coriander seed powder (2g/day) on BMI and lipid profile of
patients (n=80) with hyperlipidemia (2018) after 40 days
Adapted from https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Supplementation-of-garlic-and-
coriander-seed-Impact-Zeb-Safdar/1aabc427553f7976aafad9e0494fad83a2666d98/figure/1

33. Effect of coriander seed powder (2 g/day) on blood pressure of
patients (n=80) with hyperlipidemia after 40 days (2018)
Adapted from https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Supplementation-of-garlic-and-coriander-
seed-Impact-Zeb-Safdar/1aabc427553f7976aafad9e0494fad83a2666d98/figure/2

34. Safety issue
▪ No serious toxic effects from essential oil had been reported
▪ Coriander is safe when consumed as a spice.

35. Commercial cilantro and coriander products
▪ Fresh cilantro leaves and stems.
▪ Dried cilantro leaves and stems.
▪ Cilantro powder
▪ Dried coriander seeds
▪ Coriander seed powder
▪ Coriander leaf essential oil
▪ Coriander seed essential oil

36. Summary
▪ Cilantro refers to the leaf and stem of the plant called coriandrum
sativum.
▪ The seeds of the plant coriandrum sativum is called coriander.
▪ Both cilantro and coriander have been used as a spice and in
traditional medicine.
▪ Laboratory studies have shown that the essential oils from the leaves
and seeds are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-
hyperlipidemic, antihypertensive, anti-cancer and anticonvulsant.
▪ However, there are not enough clinical studies to establish the
medicinal use.
▪ Meanwhile, the use of cilantro and coriander as a flavoring agent
continues.

37. ANY QUESTION?
Please contact
Kevin KF Ng, MD, PhD
Email: kevinng68@gmail.com