Introduction to Handbook of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)

Abstract

Medicinal plants, spices, herbs, and plant-based natural products are widely used in traditional medicine for disease prevention. Coriandrum sativum (coriander, family Apiaceae/Umbelliferae) is considered for its uses in nutraceuticals and herbal medicine. Coriander cultivation and production are affected by climatic, genetic, and agronomic factors. Coriandrum sativum fruits, seeds, leaves, and stems have long been used as a spice. Different parts of C. sativum are rich in bioactive phytochemicals such as phenolics, fatty acids, vitamins, tocols, phenylpropenes, terpenoids, iso-coumarins, and sterols. These bioactive compounds are responsible for C. sativum biological traits, including antidiabetic, anticancer, and analgesic impacts. Furthermore, Coriandrum sativum is considered a novel food because of its wide range of functional traits. Coriandrum sativum and its monoterpenoid compound, linalool, are drug candidates for treating inflammation and metabolic syndrome. Besides, C. sativum and its extracts (i.e., essential oil, fixed oil, and crude extract) exhibited hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, anxiolytic, antimigraine, anticonvulsant, neuroprotective, diuretic, analgesic, hypotensive, and antioxidant traits. This handbook provides information about Coriandrum sativum cultivation, botanical and ethnobotanical aspects, therapeutic uses, chemical profile, food and non-food uses, and pharmacological impacts. Handbook of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum): Chemistry, Functionality, and Applications contains chapters under five main sections, namely: (1) coriander: cultivation, composition, and applications, (2) coriander leaves: chemistry, technology, functionality, and applications, (3) coriander fixed oil: chemistry, technology, functionality, and applications, (4) coriander essential oil: chemistry, technology, functionality, and applications, and (5) coriander extracts: chemistry, technology, functionality, and applications.