CORIANDER

Synonyms : Coriander fruit, Dhania (Hindi)

Biological Source : Coriander  consists of  dried  ripe  fruits  of Coriandrum sativum,  belonging  to  family Umbelliferae.

Macroscopy :



The fruit is a cremocarp, subspherical in shape, Yellowish brown in colour. The size of the fruit is 3 to 5 mm in diameter, with aromatic odour, and spicy, aromatic taste.

Microscopy :

The  transverse  section  of  coriander  shows  the  presence  of  a  dorsal  surface  and  a commissural  surface.  The  dorsal  surface  consists  of  two  vittae  and  a  carpophore. The  dorsal  surface has five  primary  ridges  and four  secondary  ridges. The  epicarp consists of a single row of small thick-walled cells with calcium oxalate crystals. The mesocarp  has  an  outer  loosely  arranged  tangentially  elongated  parenchyma  cells and the middle layer consisting of sclerenchyma. 

The  middle  layer  is  again  divided  into;  the  outer  region  of  sclerenchyma  is represented  by  longitudinally  running  fibres,  whereas  the  inner  region  has tangentionally  running  fibres.  The  vascular  bundles  are  present  below  the  primary ridges.  The  inner  layer  has  polygonal,  irregularly  arranged  parenchyma  cells.  The endocarp has the parquetry arrangement. In the testa it has single-layered, yellowish cells,  and  the  endosperm  is  thick,  polygonal,  colourless  parenchyma  with  fixed  oil and aleurone grains.

"Mericarps  usually  coherent;  cremocarp  nearly  globular,  from  3  to  5  mm.  in diameter;  externally  light  brown  or  rose  colored;  summit  with  5  calyx  teeth  and  a short  stylopodium,  each  mericarp  with  5  prominent,  straight,  longitudinal,  primary ribs  and  4  indistinct,  undulate  secondary  ribs;  mericarps  easily  separated,  deeply concave  on  the  inner  or  commissural  surface  and  showing  in  transverse  section  2 vittae (oil tubes) on the inner surface of each.

Under  the  microscope,  sections  of  Coriander  show  an  epidermis  of  small  cells with  thick  walls;  a  layer  of  several  rows  of  thin-walled  more  or  less  collapsed parenchyma  separated  from  a  broad  zone  of  strongly  lignified,  sclerenchymatous fibers which extend as a continuous ring in the mesocarp of each of the mericarps; 2 or 3 layers of large, tangentially elongated, thin-walled parenchyma cells, frequently with numerous large lysigenous intercellular spaces; inner epidermis of large tabular cells, the inner yellowish walls being considerably thickened and closely coherent to the  brownish  cells  of  the  seed-coat;  commissural surface  with  2  large,  elliptical vittae;  the  cells  of  the  pericarp  separated  from  the  seed-coat  and  forming  a  large elliptical cavity; endosperm distinctly reniform in outline and consisting of tabular or polygonal thick-walled cells containing numerous large aleurone grains each with a rosette aggregate or prism of calcium oxalate. 


Powder Microscopy :

Coriander  powder  is  light  brown  to  brown  in  colour  with  aromatic  odour  and characteristic aromatic taste. It is characterized microscopically by:

  i.          Numerous irregular  fragments  of  endosperm  cells  containing  globules  of  fixed  oils and  aleurone  grains.  Calcium  oxalate  crystals  are  numerous,  from  0.003  to  0.01 mm. in diameter, mostly in rosette aggregates.

ii.          Fragments  of  endocarp  cells  associated  with  hexagonal  sclerenchyma  of  the innermost layer of mesocarp.

iii.          Sclerenchymatous  fibers  irregularly  curved,  having  thick,  yellowish,  lignified  walls and having numerous simple pores and numerous globules of fixed oil.

iv.          Fragments of characteristic irregularly curved yellowish pitted lignified fusiform fibres of the mesocarp.

v.          Fragments of parenchymatous cells of the mesocarp without reticulate thickening.

vi.          Very few fragments showing pieces of yellowish brown vittae.

vii.          Hairs and starch granules are completely absent.



1.     A group of sclereids from the mesocarp with adjacent unlignified parenchyma.

2.     Branching vittae (Shows in outline only) and underlying endocarp in surface view.

3.     Covering trichomes.

4.     Part of a group of fibro-vascular tissue.

5.     Epicarp in surface view showing stomata and striated cuticle.

6.     Part  of  two  vittae  showing transverse septa  and  part  of the  underlying  endocarp  in surface view.

7.     Testa in surface view.

8.     Endosperm containing microspheroidal crystals of calcium oxalate.


Chemical Constituents :

Coriander consist of about 1% of volatile oil the chief volatile components are D-(+)- linalool (coriandrol), along with other constituents like, borneol, p-cymene, camphor, geraniol,  limonene,  and  alpha-pinenes.  The  fruits  also  contain  fatty  oil  and hydroxycoumarins. The fatty oils include acids of petroselic acid, oleic acid, linolenic acid, whereas the hydroxycoumarins include the umbelliferone and scopoletine.



Uses :

Coriander  is  used  as  Aromatic,  carminative,  stimulant,  alterative,  antispasmodic, diaphoretic  and  flavouring  agent.  It  is  also  used  as  refrigerant,  tonic,  appetizer, diuretic,  aphrodisiac,  and  stomachic.  Coriander  can  be  applied  externally  for rheumatism and painful joints. The infusion of decoction of dried fruit of cardamom is useful  for  the  treatment  of  sore-throat,  indigestion,  vomiting,  flatulence,  and  other intestinal disorders.

Coriander  is  a  rather  feeble  aromatic.  It  is  almost  exclusively  employed  in combination  with  other  medicines,  either  to  cover  their  taste,  to render  them acceptable to the stomach, or to correct their griping qualities. 


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