Coriander(Coriandrum sativum L.) essential oil: chemistry and biological activity

Coriandrum sativum L.(C. sativum) is one of the most useful essential oil bearing spices as well as medicinal plants, belonging to the family Umbelliferae/Apiaceae. The leaves and seeds of the plant are widely used in folk medicine in addition to its use as a seasoning in food preparation. The C. sativum essential oil and extracts possess promising antibacterial, antifungal and anti-oxidative activities as various chemical components in dif erent parts of the plant, which thus play a great role in maintaining the shelf-life of foods by preventing their spoilage. This edible plant is non-toxic to humans, and the C. sativum essential oil is thus used in dif erent ways, viz., in foods(like l avoring and preservatives) and in pharmaceutical products(therapeutic action) as well as in perfumes(fragancias and lotions). The current updates on the usefulness of the plant C. sativum are due to scientii c research published in dif erent web-based journals.