Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum): An antioxidative fighter

Coriandrum sativum (Coriander), an umbelliferous annual plant, native to the eastern Mediterranean and Southern Europe is currently cultivated in many other parts of the world. It is valued for the dry ripe fruits, called coriander seeds and also for the fresh green leaves called cilantro. Apart from being used as spice and a herb, coriander has antioxidant compounds which are considered as important as vitamins for health promotion and protection against damage due to oxidative stress. As a medicinal plant, coriander seeds have been known to possess several pharmacological effects. Since, the result of in vitro models are influenced by large number of factors; there is a need to have a model more close to an in vivo system but reports on ex vivo models are scanty and limited. Consequently for more extensive and closer study related to human body, and ex vivo model like lipid peroxidation in rat liver homogenate and erythrocyte haemolysis in human beings are studied in the present study.