Celery

Apium graveolens

Celery, Apium graveolens L., is an annual or biennial member of the family Apiaceae native to Eurasia, occurring in wild habitats in saline soils near coastal regions. Celery seed (actually a fruit) possesses a warm, aromatic, pungent flavor and is used as a condiment in food products. The essential oil distilled from the seeds is also used as a food flavoring. Long cultivated as a garden vegetable in temperate climates, A. graveolens var. dulce (Mill.) Pers., with thickened, closely overlapping, ribbed petioles, is the familiar celery of grocery store produce sections. Another variety, A. graveolens var. rapaceium (Mill.), known as celeriac, has a greatly swollen taproot available as a specialty vegetable in the United States and as a staple in Europe.

Celery seed has historically been reputed as a folk medicine for treating flatulence and indigestion, also as a diuretic, antispasmodic, and aphrodisiac. Primary uses included treatment of asthma, bronchitis, and rheumatism.

The chemistry of celery seed and its essential oil, in particular, have been extensively studied. The essential oil contains deltalimonene, selinene, various sesquiterpene alcohols, and the characteristic flavor principles of celery, phthalides, primarily 3-n-butylphthalide, and sedanenolide. The seed also contains a fixed oil with ubiquitous fatty acids, including petroselinic, oleic, linoleic, myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Various pharmacological activities attributed to the seed or essential oil include antispasmodic, mild sedative, and anti-inflammatory activity, among others.

Current interest in celery seed extracts stems from claims, as yet unproven, that it lowers uric acid levels and alleviates the pain of arthritis and rheumatism. Celery seed has also been suggested as a treatment for gout. Until such claims are backed by peer-reviewed scientific research, celery seed extracts will hold a place in history next to celery patent medicines of the nineteenth century. The whole herb, root, and seed of celery are the subject of a German Commission E monograph. No therapeutic claims are allowed since effectiveness is not proven.

Some individuals may suffer contact dermatitis or allergies from handling or ingesting celery. The psoralens in the stems or seeds can cause photodermatitis. Those allergic to birch pollen may experience hypersensitivity to celery ingestion (birch-celery syndrome). Despite traditional use of celery seed as a diuretic, the seed oil contains irritant compounds; therefore, ingestion of the seeds should be avoided in cases of genitourinary inflammation.

Celery is one of the oldest vegetables ever used in recorded history. The ancient Egyptians were known to gather wild celery from marshy seaside areas for food. Celery is a plant of many uses and little waste; the leaves and dried seeds make good seasoning; the outer ribs are best cooked and the inner ribs may be consumed raw because they are good for the heart.

The variety most commonly available is the light-green to medium green Pascal celery. Stalks are firm and solid with a maximum of green leaves. They usually have a glossy surface and snap easily. As a member of the distinguished parsley family, it enjoys some of the same reputable medical claims often attributed to the former herb. The ancient Greeks on the Isthmus of Corinth around 450 B.C. regularly crowned their winning athletes with crowns of celery stems and leaves.

The seeds and the stalks or celery both contain a sedative compound called "phthalide" (the "ph" is silent). In mainland China, celery juice was useful in reducing hypertension in 14 out of 16 patients. The juice was mixed with equal amounts of honey and about 8 tsps. were taken orally three times each day for up to a week. Make your own celery juice at home with a juicer or buy it fresh from a health food store. Mix equal parts of it and carrot juice together and drink an 8 oz. glass once a day to help strengthen frayed nerves.

Other names

• Marsh Parsley
• Smallage
• Wild Celery

Parts used

Stems, seeds, root.

Uses

Ancient herb - Records show that celery has been cultivated for at least 3,000 years, notably in pharaonic Egypt, and it was known in China in the 5th century BC. Throughout history, celery has been used as a food, and at various times both the whole plant and the seeds have been taken medicinally.
Cleansing properties - Today, the seeds are used for treating rheumatic conditions and gout. They help the kidneys dispose of urates and other unwanted waste products, as well as working to reduce acidity in the body as a whole. The celery seeds are useful in arthritis, helping to detoxify the body and improve the circulation of blood to the muscles and joints.
Diuretic - Celery seeds have a mildly diuretic and significantly antiseptic action. They are an effective treatment for cystitis, helping to disinfect the bladder and urinary tubules.
Nutritious drink - Celery and organic carrot juice make a nutritious, cleansing drink that is good for many chronic illnesses.
Other medical uses - Celery seeds are beneficial for chest problems such as asthma and bronchitis, and, when used in combination with other herbs, help to reduce blood pressure.
Celery is also used to treat glue ear.

Habitat & cultivation

Native to Britain and other European countries, celery is often found growing wild along the English and Welsh coasts, and in marshlands. Widely grown as a vegetable, cultivated celery is less fragrant than the wild variety. Celery is propagated from seed in spring and harvested from midsummer to autumn.

Research

Essential oil - Research in Germany and China during the 1970s and 1980s has shown that the essential oil has a calming effect on the central nervous system. Some of its constituents have antispasmodic, sedative, and anticonvulsant actions. Studies undertaken in China have confirmed the oil's usefulness in treating high blood pressure.

Constituents

Volatile oil, glycosides, furanocoumarins, flavonoids.

Applications

SEEDS

INFUSION For rheumatoid arthritis  and gout, combine 2 tsp celery seeds with 1 tsp lignum vitae, and add 1/2 tsp to a cup of boiling water.

ESSENTIAL OIL

OIL For painful gout in the feet or toes, add 15 drops oil to a bowl of warm water, and soak the feet.

MASSAGE OIL Dilute 5-10 drops celery oil in 20 ml almond or sunflower oil, and massage into arthritic joints.

ROOT

TINCTURE In the past used mainly as a diuretic in hypertension and urinary disorders, as a component in arthritic remedies, or as a kidney energy stimulant and cleanser.

WHOLE PLANT

JUICE Liquefy the whole fresh plant (seeds, root, stalks, and leaves) and drink the juice for joint and urinary tract inflammations, such as rheumatoid arthritis, cystitis, or urethritis, for weak conditions, and for nervous exhaustion.

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