Yes! The herb that to some, tastes like nothing. To others like myself, it tastes like soap. But in 2019, cilantro was found to have the potential to treat "soap" many individuals with epilepsy.
According to a study in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal, cilantro has an organic compound called (E)-2-dodecenal that very effectively binds to voltage-gated potassium channels, specifically KCNQ channels, and opens the channels up to reduce cellular excitability. This can prevent seizures. For context, when KCNQ ion channels are aroused excessively and become dysfunctional, this can generate a seizure where too many synapses fire too frequently and/or at the same time.
Interestingly enough, there is archaeological evidence to suggest that cilantro was possibly accepted as a medicinal herb 800,000 years ago during the Homo erectus era of human evolution when humans first consumed modern herbs for non-food related purposes. Nowadays, cilantro is recognized for treating (to an extent) inflammation, fungal infections, bacterial infections, seizures, and promoting cardiac and gastric health.
This newly researched dodecenal compound is very promising to be harnessed in such a fashion that it is used to create a more effective anticonvulsant medication. The aforementioned study even suggests simply eating cilantro can boost KCNQ activity levels enough to explain how dodecenal works for a broad spectrum of illnesses and organ systems. Either way, more research is needed to figure out where to go from here! It's great to hear of a potential new source for treatment of a disorder that affects around 50 million people worldwide.
References:
Manville, R.W. & Abbott, G. W. (2019). Cilantro leaf harbors a potent potassium channel-activating anticonvulsant. The FASEB Journal. Retrieved on March 31, 2023, from https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1096/fj.201900485R
Warde, A. (2019, July 29). Scientists Now Know How Cilantro Works Against Seizures. Futurity. Retrieved on March 31, 2023, from https://www.futurity.org/cilantro-seizures-anticonvulsants-2116832-2/