Coriandrum sativum (seed)

Nomenclature

Coriandrum sativum L.   Apiaceae  
Standardized common name (English): coriander (fruit); cilantro (leaf)  
Ayurvedic name(s): dhanyaka  
Pinyin name(s): yuan sui; hu sui; yuan sui (whole plant); yuan sui zi (fruit)

Botanical Voucher Specimen

Source: MOBOT, Tropicos.org

Organoleptic Characteristics

It is a singular fact that all parts of the fresh plant are extremely fetid when bruised, while the fruit becomes fragrant by drying. [...] Mericarps: Aromatic odor, especially when bruised; taste agreeable. Source: United States Dispensatory (1918)

Macroscopic Characteristics

Coriandrum sativum is an annual plant, with an erect branching stem rising about two feet, and furnished with compound leaves, of which the upper are thrice ternate, with linear pointed leaflets, the lower pinnate, with the pinnae cut into irregular serrated lobes like those of parsley. The flowers are white or rose-colored, and in compound terminal umbels; the fruit globular, and composed of two concavo-convex mericarps. The flowers appear in June, and the fruit ripens in August. [...] 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. Source: United States Dispensatory (1918)

Microscopic Characteristics

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. The powder is light brown, consisting chiefly of fragments of endosperm and lignified tissues of the pericarp; calcium oxalate crystals numerous, from 0.003 to 0.01 mm. in diameter, mostly in rosette aggregates, either isolated or in aleurone grains; sclerenehymatous fibers irregularly curved, having thick, yellowish, lignified walls and numerous simple pores; numerous globules of fixed oil; fragments of light yellow vittaa few, associated with elongated polygonal epidermal cells. Nearly globular, about five millimetres in diameter, uniform brownish yellow in color, and glabrous. Mericarps usually closely united, and crowned by the calyx teeth and stylopod. Primary ridges wavy and inconspicuous; secondary ridges straight and more prominent. In transverse section, two vittas on the commissural surface of each mericarp. Source: United States Dispensatory (1918) Fusiform cells occurring in layers with the cells of adjacent layers approximately at right angles to one another; fragments of parenchyma with small, thick-walled beaded cells observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution. Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories Fragments of endosperm with small thick-walled regular cells containing microcrystal and micro rosettes of calcium oxalate and oil droplets observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution. Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories

High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Identification

Coriandrum sativum HPTLC ID - Vanillin Sulfuric Acid Reagent UV 365 nm Coriander (seed) (Coriandrum sativum) Lane Assignments Lanes, from left to right (Track, Volume, Sample): 1 μL Linalool ~0.1% in Methanol 2 μL Coriandrum sativum-1 (seed) 2 μL Coriandrum sativum-2 (seed) 2 μL Coriandrum sativum-3 (seed) 2 μL Coriandrum sativum-3 (seed) 2 μL Coriandrum sativum-4 (seed) 2 μL Coriandrum sativum-5 (seed) 1 μL Linalool ~0.1% in Methanol Reference materials used here have been authenticated by macroscopic, microscopic &/or TLC studies according to the reference source cited below held at Alkemists Laboratories, Costa Mesa, CA.  Stationary Phase Silica gel 60, F254, 10 x 10 cm HPTLC plates  Mobile Phase toluene: ethyl acetate [9.5/0.5]  Sample Preparation Method 0.5g+5ml dichloromethane, sncte/cntrfge/dcnt, evap dry (N2), qs 1.0 ml Toluene  Detection Method Vanillin/H2SO4 Reagent -> 110° C 5 min -> UV 365 nm  Reference see Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals,Max Wichtl, 3rd ed., 2004 Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories