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* * * ABSTRACT * * * The discussed Family is Umbelliferae, now called as Apiaceae. It an Angiospermic plant. Its plants are used as important herbs. Many are poisonous and few are casuals and garden escapes. The umbels are unique in their floral uniformity. They pollinate freely which allow it to increase its natural distribution. Seed dispersal occurs through mammals and wind. The Plants discussed in this article are Coriander and Conium. Coriander is used as Carminative, stimulant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, refrigerant and also as a flavoring agent. It is used in the treatment of arthritis colic, rheumatism, neuralgia, ulcer, piles, headache and swellings, indigestion, flatulence, diarrhea. Conium is antispasmodic, sedative and antidote. It is used in treating Strychnine poisoning, excitability of nervous motor, scrofulous disorders, indolent tumors, swellings and pains of the joints and in curing cancerous and other ulcers. Its internal administration can cause narcotic poisoning and overdose can produce paralysis.

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Page 1: umbelliferae

* * * ABSTRACT * * *

The discussed Family is Umbelliferae, now called as Apiaceae. It an Angiospermic plant. Its plants are used as important herbs. Many are poisonous and few are casuals and garden escapes. The umbels are unique in their floral uniformity. They pollinate freely which allow it to increase its natural distribution. Seed dispersal occurs through mammals and wind.

The Plants discussed in this article are Coriander and Conium. Coriander is used as Carminative, stimulant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, refrigerant and also as a flavoring agent. It is used in the treatment of arthritis colic, rheumatism, neuralgia, ulcer, piles, headache and swellings, indigestion, flatulence, diarrhea.

Conium is antispasmodic, sedative and antidote. It is used in treating Strychnine poisoning, excitability of nervous motor, scrofulous disorders, indolent tumors, swellings and pains of the joints and in curing cancerous and other ulcers. Its internal administration can cause narcotic poisoning and overdose can produce paralysis.

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* * *   THE UMBELLIFERAE FAMILY   * * *

The Umbelliferae (or Apiaceae), commonly known as carrot or parsley family, is a group of mostly aromatic plants with hollow stems. The family is large, with more than 3,700 species spread across 434 genera, it is the sixteenth largest family of flowering plants. Included in this family are the well known.

Plants: angelica, anise, arracacha, asafoetida, caraway, carrot, celery, centella asiatica, chervil, cicely, coriander / cilantro , cumin, dill, fennel, hemlock, lovage,Queen Anne's Lace, parsley, parsnip, sea holly, and the now extinct silphium.

Umbelliferae is a large, important, successful family of herbs, sharing easily identifiable common characteristics, their famous upside down ‘Umbrella flowers’ on stalks, which fill our hedgerows and bridleways with an abundant profusion of summer color. They have provided us with our most famous root crops, vegetable and medicines, saving & sustaining millions of human and animal lives. They do have a darker side, many are poisonous, and fortunately few deaths occur now. Most are native, and common, having colonized every habitat in Britain, bar upland moors, salt marshes & deep shade. Some, introduced by the Romans, have become naturalized and common here, fewer are casuals and garden escapes. They are generally well known for being indistinguishable from each other, but with reference to habitat, flowering time, leaf shape and aroma they can be easily identified.

* * *   CLASSIFICATION   * * *

The family Umbellifers belongs in the Umbellales order. A large worldwide family containing 3000 species in 400 genera, concentrated in the N Northern temperate region. They are herbs, but Bupleurum has a number of shrubby species, woody members occur in Africa, the largest is Steganotaenia, a 12m high tree. The family contains sub families Apioideae, which contains 9096 of species. Saniculoideae & Hydrocotyloideae, hold the others. There is much overlap regarding diagnostic characteristics, and so each genera usually contain one species, and are said to be monotypic. A concise ‘History of Classification’ is given by Lincoln Constance, 1971.

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* * *   POLLINATION   * * *

The umbels are unique in their floral uniformity. They encourage free pollination by unspecialized pollinators, an interesting evolutionary adaptation. The effects of this promiscuous pollination allow it to increase its natural distribution, and thus colonies new habitats easily.

The majority of insects are attracted by the copious quantities of nectar, which is prolonged when the stigmas become receptive, sometime after the anthers have ripened. The styolopodium is also often large and brightly coloured, attracting by sight. In others, the outer petals found on the peripheral rim, are larger, and said to radiate, the inner disc may have smaller petals, and be coloured yellow, or purple, thus giving the effect of a single composite flower. This acts as a decoy for insects that might not normally visit umbellifereae.

2-300 pollinators and visitors have been recorded, the commonest being Diptera, (flies gnats, thrips, mosquitoes) smaller Coleoptera beetles, and Hymenoptera, (ants and small tongued bees) In a few species, the basal half of the infolded petal is erect and forms a corolla tube it limits access to short tongued Hymemnoptera.

There are usually male flowers in lateral umbels, below the terminal hermaphrodite umbel. The hermaphrodite flowers contain an extra pollen reservoir, ensuring the success of these early flowering parts to pollinate. The male flower’s later, ensuring out breeding & discouraging self pollination.

* * *       SEED DISPERSAL       * * *

Hooked spines on many fruits act as a special aid for dispersal by mammals. Others have broad lateral wings, for dispersal by the wind. The aquatic species have fruits with hollow spongy interiors, allowing them to float.

* * *       BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION     * * *

     Kingdom  : Eukaryota     Divisions : Spermatophyta     Subdivision : Angiosperm     Class  : Dicotyledon     Sub class : Rosidae     Family  : Umbelliferae

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* * *     LEAF MORPHOLOGY   * * *

* * *   GENERAL BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION   * * *

TYPE/Habbit : annual, biennial, perennial herbs or woody shrubs.WORLDWIDE NO. : 1,400 species in 180 Genera.AROMA: often pungent or aromatic.ROOTS: either tap root or fusiform, branched.STEMS: stout. Furrowed, pith wide and soft or internodes hollow.UMBELS : usually compound, sometimes simple, rarely capitates or very reduced and cyamose .Solitary flowers surrounded by a whorl of bracts, supported on numerous rays arising from the same point. Some uni-rayed, some sessile. Umbels terminal, the oldest having largest number of rays, with long peduncle. Later umbels are lateral. Peduncle sometimes absent.

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LEAVES : much divided leaves, x 2-3, entire in Bupleurum. Scattered, alternate, usually exstipulate, segments may be entire, toothed, or pinnatifid. Petiole sheathing at the base. Venation pinnate, in Bupleurum some parallel.

COTYLEDONS : tapering at the base or contracted into a petiole. Seedlings of perennial& biennial develop rosette of leaves, earliest less divided than upper.

BRACTS : bracts and bracteoles usually present, whorled. Bracts appear at point where rays arise from peduncle.

FLOWERS : small, white or yellow sometimes pink, rarely blue.  Hermaphrodite or unisexual, with nectar. Often strongly  protandrous. 7-12 flowers on one ray. Calyx teeth small,  sometimes unequal and 0. 5 sepals. 5 petals, valvate or  slightly. imbrecate, hairy or papillose beneath, often notched  with an inflexed or incurved point. Oil canal along middle of  petal. Outer petals at periphary of umbel are larger and  radiate, otherwise they are actinomorphic. Ovary inferior, 2 chambered, ovules pendant, solitary in each cell, pericarp has  5 vascular bundles in each carpel. Ovary has nectar secreting  disc at its summit, from which two styles arise. 2 erect or  curving styles, often with an enlarged base : stylopodium. 5 stamen, alternating with the petals, inflexed in bud. Filaments  may be < or > than petals. Anthers > than wide, attached to  filaments at middle of the back. Stigma is unthickened /  globose knob or capitate.

FRUIT : dry, 2 united, 1 seeded capsules : indehiscent, joined by a narrow or broad conirnisure. Carpels adnate to or suspended from a slender simple or divided axis : bif Id carpophore, which lies between two vittae. Carpels 1 at back of flower 1 at front, crowned by a fleshy disk, semi circular in cross section or compressed either dorsally, at right angles to commisure or laterally compressed. Carpels sometimes have distinct beak, a continuation of the carpel. When ripe it splits into two parts, which hang from central stalk, each known as a mericarp. Surface sometimes hairy, with papillae / straight or hooked spines or bristles, arising from ridges. Surface Is ridged and ducted, most prominently 5 or 9 ribbed and generally with 4 resinous canals : vittae, between the primary ridges, (rarely in them)

and 2 on the commisure face, holding aromatic or poisonous oils.

Harvest:Carrots can be harvested as soon as they turn orange. Harvesting can last up to three weeks. For fall crops, heavy old straw mulching can keep the carrots throughout the winter. Spring crops will have to be harvested in their entirety before consistent hot temperatures as the latter will deteriorate the taste.

Parsley, chervil, cilantro, and dill can be harvested as soon as the plants are of large enough size to allow for the removal of outer branches. Hot summer weather can turn the taste bitter, so plant these where they will get some shade during the warmer parts of the growing season or plan to plant both in spring and fall.

Subfamily : Hydrocotyloideae : (Hydrocotyle).

Leaves simple, with scarious stipules. Flowers in simple umbels / whorls, or solitary. Ovary with

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flat disc. Fruit with woody endocarp, no vittae, at least when mature. Carpophore absent. Chromosome No. 8. Wide distribution, S. Hemisphere

Subfamily : Saniculoideae (Sanicula, Astrantia, Eryngium).

Leaves simple / palmately lobed, no stipule. Flowers in simple umbels or capitula. Ovary with flat disc. Fruit with membranous endocarp. Carpophore absent. Chromosome No. 8. Wide distribution.

Subfamily : Apioideae : (All Other Genera)

Leaves much divided, no stiplues. Flowers in compound umbels. Ovary with prominent stylopodium. Fruit with membranous endocarp. Chromosme No. 11. Cosmopolitan, abundant in N hemisphere.

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* * * CORIANDER * * *

* * * SYNONYMS * * *

Coriander fruits, Dhaniya, Fructus Coriandri

* * * BIOLOGICAL SOURCE * * *

These are the fully dried ripe fruits of the plant known as Coriandrum sativum Linn. The fruits should contain not less than 0.3% of the volatile oil.

* * * GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE * * *

Coriander is indigenous to Italy. Plant is cultivated throughout European countries, principally in Russia, Hungary and Holland. It is also cultivated in India, Egypt, China, Bangladesh and Morocco.

* * * HABITAT * * *

Coriander thrives in well-drained, fertile, deep, and medium to heavy soil. Coriander tolerates cold and heat, but does require full sunlight and watering during dry periods. Grow coriander in a location that is protected from the wind, as the plants are susceptible to being blown over when they are top-heavy with seeds. Coriander does not transplant well, so sow seeds directly in the garden. Keep area free of weeds. The plants grow fast, and flower and go to seed quickly in hot weather. Leaf production stops once the plant flowers. Generally pest-free, but susceptible to fungus diseases, especially in moist, rainy conditions and if the soil is too rich in nitrogen. Also liable to root rot, if the soil is poorly drained.

Gerard described it as follows: 'The common kind of Coriander is a very striking herb; it has a round stalk full of branches, two feet long. The leaves are almost like the leaves of the parsley, but

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later on become jagged, almost like the leaves of Fumitorie, but a great deal smaller and tenderer. The flowers are white and grow in round tassels like Dill.'

* * * CULTIVATION & COLLECTION * * *

Coriander is an annual herb with erect stems, about 0.7m high with small white or pinkish flowers. They are cultivated as kharif as well as rabi crop. It needs light to heavy black soil. About 15 to 2 Kg of fruits/hectare are required for cultivation. It is sown by drilling method. Before sowing the fruits are rubbed till the two mericarps are separated and sown either broadcast or in rows. The crop requires 2 or 3 weedings and the field is irritated whenever required. Fruits are collected when ripe and dried. Aromatic odour is developed on drying the fruits. Crop is ready for harvesting after 100 days of growth. Don't over fertilize, as too much nitrogen delays the ripening of the fruits (seeds) and diminishes their flavor. The plants are then pulled out by the roots and after drying, the fruits are threshed out. They are further dried in the sun, winnowed and stored in bags. Sow seeds every 3 weeks for a continuous supply of cilantro (leaves). J-16, J-214, K-45 and New Pusa are few of the improved varieties of coriander.

* * * MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERS * * *

Colour: Yellowish brown to brown Odour: Aromatic Taste: Spicy and characteristic Size: Fruits are 2-4 mm in diameter and 4-30 mm in length Shape: Coriander is a sub-globular cremocarpous fruit. Cremocarps consists of two

hemispherical mericarps united by their margins. Two divergent styles are present on the apex.

About 10 primary ridges and 8 secondary ridges are present.

Primary ridges are wavy and inconspicious, while secondary ridges are straight. It is further described as an endospermic and coelospermic fruit. The weight of 100 fruits is approximately 1g.

Fresh plant emits very disagreeable odour on rubbing.

* * * MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERS * * *

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The epidermis of pericarp is made up of polygonal tubular cells with stomata. Several epidermal cells contain prisms of calcium oxalate. Mesocarp consists of inner and outer layer of parenchyma with a layer of sclerenchyma in between them. Inner epidermis of pericarp consists of parquetry cells.

The seed is characteristic to umbelliferous fruits. Starch grains, trichomes and lignified reticulate parenchyma absent. Fixed oil globules are present in the endosperm, while volatile oil in the vittae. Aleurone grains are present in polygonal thick walled cellulose parenchyma of endosperm.

* * * CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS * * *

Coriander yields from 0.3-1% of volatile oil. The fixed oil (13%) and proteins (20%) are the other contents of the drug. Volatile oil of the drug contains 90% of D-linalool (coriandrol), pinene, and coriandryl acetate. Small quantities of L-borneol, geraniol, p-cymene, dipentene, phellandrene, terpinolene, hydrocarbons such as alpha and beta-terpinene, n-decyclic aldehyde, malic acid, esters of of acetic and decyclic acids, tannins and mucilage are also present. Coriander leaves are rich in Vitamin A content. The fruit yields 5-7% ash. The seed also contain fatty oils (19-20%) which is a mixture of glycerides of palmitic, oleic, linoleic and petroselinic acids. During ordinary storage of crude drug, the volatile oil composition alters considerably.

Coriander oil is pale yellow liquid having specific gravity of 0.863-0.875, refractive index 1.462-1.472, and optical rotation of +8 to +15 degree.

* * * USES * * *

Culinary uses: Add fresh, tender, young cilantro to salads, and use for garnishing. Coriander seeds are a vital ingredient of curry powder. Ground coriander is used commercially to flavor baked goods and processed meats, while the oil extracted from the seeds is used in the preparation of canned soups, sauces, candy, chewing gum, ice cream, liqueurs, gin, and even tobacco products. A new assessment has concluded that coriander essential oil is safe for use in foods.

Craft uses: Include fragrant coriander seeds in potpourris and sachets.

Medicinal Uses: Coriander seed oil is an aromatic stimulant, a carminative (remedial in flatulence), an antibilious, diuretic, tonic, stomachic, refrigerant, antispasmodic, appetizer and aphrodisiac. It is generally beneficial to the nervous system. The powdered fruit, fluid extract and oil are mainly used as flavouring agent to mask foul medicines, especially purgatives, where it has anti-griping qualities. The herb is used against piles,

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headache and swellings; the fruit in colic, piles and conjunctivitis; the essential oil in colic, rheumatism and neuralgia; the seeds as a paste for mouth ulceration and a poultice for other ulcers. Coriander water was formerly much esteemed as a carminative for windy colic.

Recent studies have supported its use as a stomach soother for both adults and colicky babies. Coriander contains an antioxidant that helps prevent animal fats from turning rancid. It also contains substances that kill meat-spoiling bacteria and fungi. These same substances in Cilantro also prevent infection in wounds. Coriander has been shown to improve tummy troubles of all kinds, from indigestion to flatulence to diarrhea. Weak coriander tea may be given to children under age 2 for colic. It's safe for infants and may relieve their pain. Cilantro and Coriander contain substances that kill certain bacteria and fungi, thereby preventing infections from developing in wounds. Intriguing new studies suggest that coriander has anti-inflammatory effects so are applied externally for arthritis and painful joints. Coriander water was formerly much esteemed as a carminative for windy colic.

* * * PRODUCTS * * *

It is an ingredient of compound spirit of orange and cascara elixir. It is an ingredient of the following compound preparations of the Pharmacopceia: confection, syrup and tincture of senna, and tincture and syrup of Rhubarb, and enters also into compounds with angelica gentian, jalap, quassia and lavender. As a corrigent to senna, it is considered superior to other aromatics.

Coriander water was formerly much esteemed as a carminative for windy colic.

* * * P REPARATION * * *

Powdered fruit: dose, 10 to 60 grains. Fluid extract, 5 to 30 drops. B.P.: dose, 1/2 to 3 drops.

* * * STORAGE * * *

Coriander fruits are thoroughly dried and stored in well closed container, as they are highly prone to insects, away from light and heat. The flavor will begin to diminish after about 6 months. Use within 1 year.

* * * PACKAGING * * *

Coriander is packaged in jute fabric bags (30 kg), during transportation.

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* * * SUBSTITUTES * * *

It is substituted by Bombay Coriander fruits, which contain less volatile oil and are ellipsoidal in shape.

* * * DRUG INTERACTIONS & PRECAUTIONS * * *

Known Interactions: The oxytocic-like action of coriander may produce neonatal jaundice which would interfere with serum bilirubin test results.

Possible Interactions : Allopurinol has been tentatively shown to increase the half life of anticoagulants.

* * * TOXICITY * * *

Based on the history of consumption of coriander oil without reported adverse effects, lack of its toxicity in limited studies and lack of toxicity of its major constituent, linalool, the use of coriander oil as an added food ingredient is considered safe at present levels of use.

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* * * CONIUM * * *

Conium means small genus of highly toxic perennial.

* * * SYNONYMS * * *

genus conium,poison parsley,poison hemlock

* * * MERONYMS * * *

Members of conium:

California fern,conium maculatum , hemlock

* * * BIOLOGICAL SOURCE * * *

Conium is a genus of two species of highly poisonous perennial herbaceous flowering plant known as conium maculatum.

* * * GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE * * *

It is found in disturbed or waste areas such as roadsides and the edges of cultivated fields. Poison hemlock was introduced into North America from Europe and is and can be found in all areas of the U.S. except for dessert areas. Poison hemlock can be found growing in the same kind of habitats as the water hemlock. conium maculatum, a Eurasian weed naturalized in North America, contains high concentrations of piperidine alkaloids that act as chemical defenses against herbivores.

Conium maculatum is a highly toxic weed found in waste places throughout much of the world.

* * * HABITAT * * *

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It reproduces only from seed. Some poison hemlock seeds germinate in the fall, producing flowers until the second spring. Poison hemlock can be easily controlled with the herbicide 2,4-D. No effective biological control techniques are known, but mechanical removal (hand pulling, grubbing, or mowing) is effective if done prior to flowering

conium maculatum "commonly occurs in sizable stands of dense, rank growth along roadsides, field margins, ditchbanks and in low-lying waste areas. It also invades native plant communities in riparian woodlands and open flood plains of rivers and streams in southern California" (Goeden and Ricker 1982) and other regions in the state. It is common on shady or moist ground below 5000 feet, especially in cismontane California.

* * * CULTIVATION AND COLLECTION * * *

Hemlock (Conium maculatum) was occasionally deliberately grown as a medicinal herb in the past, even though it is highly poisonous. It is generally considered a weed of gardens these days. The Poisonous Hemlock does not require any maintenance to grow and should be eradicated upon sight.

* * * ACTIVE INGREDIENTS * * *

The special and characteristic medicinal substance contained in hemlock is a peculiar alkaloid, called coniine, N-methyl coniine, conhydrine, lambda-coniceine, and pseudoconhydrine.

Of the total alkaloids of hemlock isolated by the method of Chemnitius and fractionally distilled, the portion boiling up to 190 °C contains most of the coniine, γ-coniceine and N-methylconiine, while conhydrine and ψ-conhydrine remain in the higher boiling residues. For the separation of coniine from coniceine, Wolffenstein recommends conversion into hydrochlorides. These are dried and extracted with acetone, which dissolves coniceine hydrochloride, leaving the coniine salt, from which the base may then be regenerated.

* * * MACROSCOPIC CHARACTER * * *

Colour : dark green Odour : unpleasent Taste: exteremly poisonous. Size : 5-8 ft Shape: leaves are mostly triangular. Flowers: clustered umbels up to 10-15 cm.

* * * MEDICINAL ACTION AND USES * * *

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As a medicine, Conium is sedative and antispasmodic, and in sufficient doses acts as a paralyser to the centres of motion. In its action it is, therefore, directly antagonistic to that of Strychnine, and hence it has been recommended as an antidote to Strychnine poisoning, Hemlock juice (Succus conii) is prescribed as a remedy in cases of undue nervous motor excitability, such as teething in children, epilepsy from dentition. cramp, in the early stages of paralysis agitans, in spasms of the larynx and gullet, in acute mania, The drug has to be administered with care, as narcotic poisoning may result from internal use, and overdoses produce paralysis. Hemlock was formerly believed to exercise an alterative effect in scrofulous disorders. Both the Greek and Arabian physicians were in the practice of using it for the cure of indolent tumours, swellings and pains of the joints, Baron Storch was the first to call the attention of medical men to its use, both externally and internally, for the cure of cancerous and other ulcers, and in the form of a poultice or ointment it has been found a very valuable application to relieve pain in these cases.

In the case of poisoning by Hemlock, the antidotes are tannic acid, stimulants and coffee, emetics of zinc, or mustard and castor oil, and, if necessary, artificial respiration. It is essential to keep up the temperature of the body.

* * * PRESERVATION * * *

The walls are thick and the costae are apparent in poorly-preserved grains. So it can be preserved easily with rich amount of constituents.

* * * PREPARATION * * *

Powdered leaves 1 to 3 grains. Fluid extract of leaves, 5 to 10 drops. Fluid extract of seeds, 2 to 5 drops. Tincture seeds, B.P., 1/2 to 1 drachm. Juice of leaves, B.P., 1 to 2 drachms. Solid extract, 2 to 6 grains. Ointment, B.P.

* * * TOXICITY * * *

"It has been shown that the predominant alkaloid in the plant changes with stage of development, and even from hour to hour, that the total amount of alkaloid varies with the stage of growth and part of plant and with geographic area, the plants from southern latitudes being held more poisonous on the average than northern-grown ones. Variability in toxicity of this kind may explain the fact that in experimental feedings of a cow in Texas, Conium was found to produce symptoms but not death at about two percent of the animal's weight and did not produce death even at almost 4 percent. Coniine is volatile and is lost slowly from Conium while drying. The hemlock alkaloids are present in least amount in the root. As the plant grows, they accumulate in the stem, leaves, and fruits, being greater in amount in these organs in the order listed and in each reaching a maximum just prior to maturation of the seeds. Concentrations of total alkaloids as high as 1.6 percent have been measured in the green seed" (Kingsbury 1964).

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* * * SYMPTOMS * * *

Conium alkaloids are structurally related to nicotine and function similarly. "In addition to nicotinic activity, coniine also exhibits curare-like actions, and it paralyzes the striated musculature starting at the legs and rising until finally, while still fully conscious, death takes place as a result of respiratory paralysis" (Frohne and Pfander 1983)

Treatment; Frohne and Pfander (1983) recommend "measures to prevent absorption of the poison (elicit vomiting, gastric lavage, activated charcoal), strychnine in small doses (2 mg/h), and in the case of respiratory arrest, artificial respiration."

* * * PRECAUTION * * *

If the solution changes color or becomes cloudy.If the condition is accompained by fever.

If new symptoms occur, or if redness or swelling is present, the patient should be carefully re-evaluated because  these could be signs of a serious condition.

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* * * DISCUSSION * * *

UMBELLIFERAE (now known as APIACEAE) is a family of plant which flower (umbels) have special characteristic shape like UMBERELLA FLOWER. This family mainly consist of herbs so on that basis it is also known as PARSELY FAMILY. This family contain mostly plant with hollow stem. They are biennial (once every two years) or perennial (last three season or more).

Plant coriander commonly known as Dhania. Fully riped dry fruits are known as Coriandrum sativum Linn. Largely cultivated in India ,Pakistan, China and Bangladesh. It has spicy and characteristic odour and colour brown to yellowish brown.shape of coriander is sub. Globular. Due to spicy taste coriander is widely used as spice, and fresh coriander leaves is used in garnishing and to enhance the taste of food. Medicilnal uses of coriander are, carminative ,diuretic, refrigerant , antispasmodic, and stomach soother due to the presence of 0.3-1% of volatile oil (90% of D-linalool (coriandrol), pinene, and coriandryl acetate) , fixed oil (13%) and proteins (20%). The seed also contain fatty oils (19-20%) which is a mixture of glycerides of palmitic, oleic, linoleic and petroselinic acids.

Plant conium maculatum is a poisonous plant. Mostly found in shadow and moist places of North America, and all areas of U.S. Conium is an herbaceous biennial plant. it is generally consider as a weed, but in past it was cultivated as herb.the most active ingredient is peculiar alkaloid, called coniine, which has similar structure to nicotine. Conium maculatum is used as a sedative , antispasmodic, paralyser to the centre of motion.

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*** REFERENCES ***

http://www.spookspring.com/Umbels/index.html

http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_coriander.htm

http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/corian99.html

http://www.appliedhealth.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=108286&Itemid=554

http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodstorage/a/cilantrostorage.htm

http://www.tis-gdv.de/tis_e/ware/gewuerze/koriande/koriande.htm

http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/coriander.html

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Study-affirms-safe-view-of-coriander-oil-for-food

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19032971

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