Coriander is the most common household remedy that is available throughout the year. The whole plant, especially chopped leaves and seeds are medicinal.
MEDICINAL USES
According to Ayurvedic materia-medica, fresh leaves of coriander are pungent and aromatic.
• If you have vitamin deficiency, especially that of vitamins A, B , B2, C and Iron, a teaspoonful of fresh juice should be taken everyday with an equal quantity of honey. This has proved to be beneficial in curing tuberculosis, bronchial asthma, and allergy.
• For indigestion, flatulent colic, nausea and vomiting, one to two teaspoonfuls of fresh coriander juice mixed with a glassful of fresh buttermilk can be taken two to three times a day. The same will prove to be useful in case of hiccup, excessive salivation, bitterness in the mouth, giddiness, jaundice, piles, dysentery, ulcerative colitis, burning in the arms and pinworm infection.
• Chewing fresh leaves cures stomatitis, bad breath and prevents pyorrhea and dental caries.
• Externally, the juice of the leaf can be applied over forehead as a medicine for migraine and other types of headaches. Not only this, the juice can also be used as a cosmetic agent.
• Take a teaspoonful of the leaf juice. Mix with a pinch of turmeric powder and apply over the face every night as remedy for pimples, black heads and dryness of the skin. This will bleach the skin and bloom the complexion.
• Many a time, extreme summer heat can cause bleeding of the nose. This can be treated by taking two drops of fresh juice in both nostrils. Do the same if you have nasal polyps and bad smelling in the nose.
Seeds are aromatic, stimulant, carminative, anti-spasmodic and diuretic. So the decoction of the seeds, sweetened with sugar or honey can be used with excellent results in dyspepsia, flatulence, indigestion, biliousness, giddiness due to nervousness or indigestion etc. Cold infusion of seeds or powder of fried seeds with little sugar is very useful in colic of children. In addition, it relieves internal heat and thirst excellently. This is the reason why it has been included in thrishna prasamana (thirst pacifying) group by Charaka Samhita.
• If you are suffering from vertigo, powder coriander seeds and Chebulic myrobalan fruits in equal parts; roast, make decoction and take for a week.
• In case of conjunctivitis, an eye wash done with the decoction of coriander seeds relieves burning pain and inflammatory swelling.
• Decoction prepared with coriander seeds checks excessive menstrual flow. Boil one teaspoonful of the seeds in a glass of water until only half the water remains. Add sugar to taste and drink when it is still warm. For the desired result, you may have to be on this medication for 3 to 4 days.
• As a gargle, coriander seeds are useful in oral thrush and as a poultice with barley meal added, applied to chronic ulcers and carbuncles.
• Here is an excellent digestive medicine that you can prepare for yourself. Pound the coriander seeds slightly and remove the husk. Add cumin (saphed jeera), black pepper, cloves, and common salt. Grind well and soak into lime juice. Later sundry the whole mass and use as and when needed internally.