Coriander can fight against harmful bacteria -- research
POSTED August 25, 2011 - 16:29 | POSTED BY Simmy Mishra
Last edited by Jaspreet Virk on August 25, 2011 - 16:49
The study
The team of researchers from the University of Beira Interior, Portugal have found that coriander that mainly is a herb for garnishing can also play a crucial role in treating many bacterial infections.
Coriander is said to be fighting infections caused by certain strains of bacteria that are otherwise very stable against antibacterial drugs.
A solution containing 1.6 percent and lesser of coriander oil (oil derived from the coriander seeds) was tested on a variety of bacterial strains.
The mix was successful in killing and impeding 12 strains of bacteria, including E. coli, methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and resistant strains like salmonella and bacillus cereus.
Coriander works like an anti-biotic
When the herb attacks the strains, it permeates the membranes of the bacteria cells, thus damaging or killing them completely.
Dr. Fernanda Domingues, who led the study, said, “The results indicate that coriander oil damages the membrane surrounding the bacterial cell.”
The strains that cause mostly food borne infections can now be contained by including coriander in the diet.
Used to garnish many dishes in the Asian and Mediterranean cuisine, coriander has been known of its medicinal benefits.
‘We envisage the use of coriander in lotions, mouth rinses and even pills, to fight multidrug-resistant bacterial infections that otherwise could not be treated,” Domingues added.
Research is now trying to figure out the proper way of using this to fight infections cased by the 12 bacterial strains.
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