Cilantro is a versatile herb with a rich history in traditional medicine, supported by scientific research demonstrating its numerous health benefits. Whether used in culinary dishes or as an herbal remedy, cilantro offers a wide range of therapeutic effects, making it a valuable addition to our diet and natural health.
 |
| Coriander Flowers |
What is Cilantro?
Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is also known as coriander or Chinese parsley. It is an annual herb in the Apiaceae family. The plant typically grows to a height of 50 cm (20 inches).
Cilantro has bright green, delicate, feathery leaves and produces small, white to pinkish flowers arranged in umbels. The plant also produces small, round seeds known as coriander seeds.
Cilantro is native to regions spanning from southern Europe to northern Africa and southwestern Asia. It thrives in well-drained soil with ample sunlight and is widely cultivated worldwide for its culinary and medicinal uses.
Compounds in Cilantro
Cilantro and coriander seeds contain several bioactive compounds, including:
Linalool: A terpene alcohol with significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Terpinene: An essential oil component with antioxidant and antimicrobial effects.
Vitamin C: A potent antioxidant that supports immune function.
Vitamin K: Important for bone health and blood clotting.
Polyphenols: Including quercetin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Traditional Medicine Uses
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Cilantro is used to promote digestion, reduce inflammation, and detoxify the body.
Ayurveda: In Indian medicine, cilantro is used for its cooling properties to treat digestive issues, inflammation, and high blood pressure.
Middle Eastern Medicine: Used for its digestive benefits and to help detoxify the body, mostly in the form of coriander seeds.
Latin American Medicine: Employed to treat gastrointestinal complaints and as an antimicrobial agent.
Health Benefits of Cilantro
Antioxidant Properties: Cilantro is rich in antioxidants, which help protect cells from oxidative stress and damage.
Anti-inflammatory Effects: The herb's anti-inflammatory compounds, such as linalool, can help reduce inflammation in the body.
Detoxification: Cilantro is known for its ability to bind to heavy metals, aiding in their removal from the body, a process known as chelation.
Digestive Health: Cilantro can help stimulate digestion and alleviate gastrointestinal issues like bloating and gas.
Antimicrobial Activity: Cilantro has been shown to have antimicrobial properties, which can help in fighting off bacterial and fungal infections.
Cardiovascular Health: The herb can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, promoting heart health.
Anti-anxiety Effects: Some studies suggest that cilantro may help reduce anxiety due to its calming properties.
Cilantro Research
A 2017 review of research from Thailand’s Mahidol University concluded that cilantro and coriander seeds have a number of health benefits. These include its benefits on neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and metabolic syndrome. The researchers also listed the properties of cilantro being:
- antioxidant
- anticancer
- neuroprotective
- anxiolytic
- anticonvulsant
- analgesic
- migraine-relieving
- hypolipidemic
- hypoglycemic
- hypotensive
- antimicrobial
- anti-inflammatory
A 2023 study from Mexico’s Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México found that cilantro helped regulate insulin and help control type 2 diabetes.
Another 2023 study found that coriander seed has a number of compounds that can help relax the mind and increase sleep. These researchers and others have found that coriander seek can be helpful for anxiety, depression, epilepsy and other psychiatric conditions.
Cilantro has also been tested as an anti-anxiety compound. Laboratory research has found the herb to be sedative and hypnotic. These mean it produces a relaxing effect and helps one sleep.
Chelation agent
A number of studies have shown that cilantro and coriander seeds can chelate or absorb heavy metals from its surroundings. Research from 2019 from the Southern Adventist University found that cilantro can significantly absorb heavy metals from soils as well as the bloodstream. This includes lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals.
Other research has found that cilantro can chelate or absorb heavy metals from the bloodstream, again including lead, mercury and arsenic.
A 2013 review of research found clinical evidence for cilantro being a significant chelating agent, either by eating or with blood chelation systems.
Scientific References
Hosseini M, Boskabady MH, Khazdair MR. Neuroprotective effects of Coriandrum sativum and its constituent, linalool: A review. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2021 Sep-Oct;11(5):436-450. doi: 10.22038/AJP.2021.55681.2786.
Manville RW, Abbott GW. Cilantro leaf harbors a potent potassium channel-activating anticonvulsant. FASEB J. 2019 Oct;33(10):11349-11363. doi: 10.1096/fj.201900485R.
Verma T, Sinha M, Bansal N, Yadav SR, Shah K, Chauhan NS. Plants Used as Antihypertensive. Nat Prod Bioprospect. 2021 Apr;11(2):155-184. doi: 10.1007/s13659-020-00281-x.
Santibáñez A, Jiménez-Ferrer E, Angulo-Bejarano PI, Sharma A, Herrera-Ruiz M. Coriandrum sativum and Its Utility in Psychiatric Disorders. Molecules. 2023 Jul 10;28(14):5314. doi: 10.3390/molecules28145314.
Latha K, Rammohan B, Sunanda BP, Maheswari MS, Mohan SK. Evaluation of anxiolytic activity of aqueous extract of Coriandrum sativum Linn. in mice: A preliminary experimental study. Pharmacognosy Res. 2015 Jun;7(Suppl 1):S47-51. doi: 10.4103/0974-8490.157996.
Torres-Vanda M, Gutiérrez-Aguilar R. Mexican Plants Involved in Glucose Homeostasis and Body Weight Control: Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2023 Apr 25;15(9):2070. doi: 10.3390/nu15092070.
Prachayasittikul V, Prachayasittikul S, Ruchirawat S, Prachayasittikul V. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum): A promising functional food toward the well-being. Food Res Int. 2018 Mar;105:305-323. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2017.11.019.
Laribi B, Kouki K, M'Hamdi M, Bettaieb T. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) and its bioactive constituents. Fitoterapia. 2015 Jun;103:9-26. doi: 10.1016/j.fitote.2015.03.012.
Thuppil, V., & Tannir, S. (2013). Treating Lead Toxicity: Possibilities beyond Synthetic Chelation. Journal of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences University, 2(1).
Abascal K, Yarnell E. Cilantro—Culinary Herb or Miracle Medicinal Plant?. Alternative and Complementary Therapies. 2012 Oct 1;18(5):259-64.
Sears, M. E. (2013). Chelation: Harnessing and Enhancing Heavy Metal Detoxification—A Review. The Scientific World Journal, 1-13. doi:10.1155/2013/219840.
Garrett, Sierra D. and Trott, Timothy D., "The Phytoremediative Effects of Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) in Lead Contaminated Soil" (2019). Research in Biology. 14.