Age Ayurveda Nighantu

Dhanyaka

Coriandrum sativum L.

Dhanyaka (Coriandrum sativum L.) is a plant used in Ayurveda, from the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family. Not individually listed in WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants; recognized in European, British, and Indian pharmacopoeias; GRAS status by FDA.

Key facts
Botanical nameCoriandrum sativum L.
FamilyApiaceae (Umbelliferae) · other entries in this family
OrderApiales
Pharmacopoeia statusNot individually listed in WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants; recognized in European, British, and Indian pharmacopoeias; GRAS status by FDA
Taxon identifiersGBIF 3034871 · Wikidata Q41611 · NCBI Taxonomy 4047

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishDhanyaka
Latin/BotanicalCoriandrum sativum L.

Key Phytochemical Constituents

How does it work?

  • Anxiolytic and neuroprotective mechanism through linalool-mediated modulation of GABAergic neurotransmission and glutamate receptor inhibition, reducing neuronal excitotoxicity
  • Hypoglycemic mechanism through stimulation of insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells and enhancement of peripheral glucose uptake, mediated by flavonoid and essential oil fractions
  • Antimicrobial mechanism through linalool disruption of bacterial cell membrane integrity and inhibition of efflux pump activity, showing broad-spectrum activity

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

  • Digestive and carminative properties validated through clinical and preclinical studies, confirming Ayurvedic use as Deepana-Pachana in digestive disorders (Agnimandya)
  • Anxiolytic properties validated through animal model studies showing dose-dependent reduction in anxiety markers, supporting traditional use as a cooling and calming herb
  • Hypoglycemic activity validated through multiple in vivo and some clinical studies, confirming traditional use in Prameha (diabetes management)

What do recent clinical trials show?

2 further claims previously listed here could not be traced to a published paper and have been removed. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

  • Widely consumed spice with GRAS status; generally safe at culinary and traditional therapeutic doses; rare cases of contact dermatitis and photosensitivity reported with fresh coriander leaf handling
  • High-dose essential oil ingestion may cause hepatic or renal effects; potential interaction with antidiabetic medications due to hypoglycemic potential; contraindicated in known Apiaceae allergy

What is it made of?

Key Active Markers

  • Linalool
  • Decanal
  • Camphor
  • Quercetin
  • Rutin
  • Flavonoids
  • Coumarins
  • Tocopherols

Analytical Methods: HPLC fingerprinting, TLC (identity), LC-MS/MS (marker quantification)

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kashayam (decoction), Hima (cold infusion), Tablet, Capsule, Essential oil, Arka (distillate)

Standard Dosage: 3-6g seed powder twice daily; 50-100ml decoction or cold infusion twice daily; 500mg extract capsule twice daily; essential oil: 1-3 drops in carrier

Bioavailability: Coriandrum sativum seeds contain linalool (60-70% of essential oil), flavonoids, and coumarins. Linalool has good oral bioavailability (>60%) due to favorable lipophilicity and small molecular size. Flavonoid glycosides (rutin, quercetin-3-glucuronide) have moderate bioavailability (15-25%), improved by gut microbial deglycosylation. Cold infusion (Hima) preserves volatile constituents better than hot decoction. The traditional practice of light roasting (Bharjana) before use modifies volatile profile and may improve digestibility.

Optimal Timing: After meals as digestive aid; before meals for appetite stimulation; Hima (cold infusion) throughout the day for Pitta conditions and burning sensation

Standardized Extract: Essential oil: standardized to NLT 65% linalool by GC-MS. Seed extract: NLT 1% total flavonoids (as rutin). Extract ratio 5:1.

Shelf Life: 1 year (powder - due to volatile loss); 2 years (tablet/capsule); 3 years (essential oil in sealed amber bottle); whole seeds: 2-3 years

Storage: Whole seeds in airtight containers at room temperature. Powder: airtight, moisture-proof containers below 25 deg C - use quickly after grinding. Essential oil: amber glass, cool place, nitrogen headspace.

Marker Compounds: Linalool, Geraniol, Geranyl acetate, Camphor, Rutin, Quercetin, Coumarins

Extraction Methods

  • Steam distillation for essential oil (Dhanyaka Taila)
  • Cold infusion (Hima - traditional)
  • Aqueous decoction
  • Hydroalcoholic extraction (50:50)
  • Supercritical CO2 for high-quality essential oil

Synergistic Combinations

Published research

Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.

Other clinical studies and reviews10

  1. Chaurasia PK, Bharati SL. 2025. Coriander: A holistic outlook on its chemistry and pharmacologyFood chemistry. PMID 39719783 · doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.142444
  2. Santibáñez A, Jiménez-Ferrer E, Angulo-Bejarano PI and others. 2023. Coriandrum sativum and Its Utility in Psychiatric DisordersMolecules (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 37513187 · doi:10.3390/molecules28145314
  3. Scandar S, Zadra C, Marcotullio MC. 2023. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) Polyphenols and Their Nutraceutical Value against Obesity and Metabolic SyndromeMolecules (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 37241925 · doi:10.3390/molecules28104187
  4. Sobhani Z, Mohtashami L, Amiri MS and others. 2022. Ethnobotanical and phytochemical aspects of the edible herb Coriandrum sativum LJournal of food science. PMID 35279837 · doi:10.1111/1750-3841.16085
  5. Verma T, Sinha M, Bansal N and others. 2021. Plants Used as AntihypertensiveNatural products and bioprospecting. PMID 33174095 · doi:10.1007/s13659-020-00281-x
  6. Hosseini M, Boskabady MH, Khazdair MR. 2021. Neuroprotective effects of Coriandrum sativum and its constituent, linalool: A reviewAvicenna journal of phytomedicine. PMID 34745916 · doi:10.22038/AJP.2021.55681.2786
  7. Mahleyuddin NN, Moshawih S, Ming LC and others. 2021. Coriandrum sativum L.: A Review on Ethnopharmacology, Phytochemistry, and Cardiovascular BenefitsMolecules (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 35011441 · doi:10.3390/molecules27010209
  8. Wei JN, Liu ZH, Zhao YP and others. 2019. Phytochemical and bioactive profile of Coriandrum sativum LFood chemistry. PMID 30827604 · doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.01.171
  9. Laribi B, Kouki K, M'Hamdi M and others. 2015. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) and its bioactive constituentsFitoterapia. PMID 25776008 · doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2015.03.012
  10. 2006. Coriander PMID 30000851

Laboratory and animal studies2

  1. Póvoa O, Farinha N, Lopes V and others. 2024. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) from Alentejo (South Portugal)-Ethnobotany and Potential Industrial UseFoods (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 38540919 · doi:10.3390/foods13060929
  2. Mathew D, Valsalan R, Shijili M. 2024. Genome-wide mining and characterization of MATE transporters in Coriandrum sativum LMolecular biology research communications. PMID 38915458 · doi:10.22099/mbrc.2024.49840.1954

Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.

Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.