International Journal of Farm Sciences

The Vietnamese coriander (Persicaria odorata L) is a useful uderutilized leafy condiment of tropical and subtropical region immensely popular in southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore round the year with a peak season in summer for garnishing and seasoning of food. In northeastern states the crop is grown in home garden and leaves are used for garnishing local cuisine such as boiled chicken, pork and fish and in a variety of mixed vegetables. Nutritionally the leaves are rich in aromatic aldehyde and terpene compounds such as dodecanal, decanal, caryophyllene, eremophillene and alpha-curcumene which possess antibacterial properties. The leaves have wider medicinal uses and commonly utilized for treatment against digestive problems like flatulence, stomach cramps and indigestion. Thus there is an urgent need of strategies such as proper identification of existing species, identification of more wild related species, untrapped medicinal value, documentation of proper production technology, growing conditions and cultivation problem.