Celery

Scientific Name(s): Apium graveolens L. var dulce (Mill.) Pers.
Common Name(s): Celery, Celery seed, Celery seed oil

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Feb 14, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic effects have been described. Limited clinical trials support traditional uses of celery and celery seed extracts. A role in cardiovascular conditions has not been determined.

Dosing

Clinical trials guiding celery dosage are limited. n-Butylphthalide 200 and 400 mg daily doses have been used. Carminative use of the seed typically involves 1 to 4 g doses.

Contraindications

Celery seed is contraindicated in pregnancy.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Celery seed is contraindicated in pregnancy.

Interactions

A case of celery root extract–induced bipolar disorder in a patient managed with venlafaxine and St. John's wort has been documented.

Adverse Reactions

Allergy, including dermatitis and anaphylaxis (rare), and phototoxicity to celery and its constituents have been reported. Dose-dependent hepatotoxicity has been noted for n-butylphthalide.

Toxicology

Celery seed has US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) status of generally recognized as safe (GRAS).

Scientific Family

• Apiaceae (carrots)

Botany

This biennial plant was first cultivated in Europe, but is grown and consumed worldwide. A number of celery varieties exist, many developed to meet commercial demands for particular colors, tastes, and stalk sizes. Celery generally grows between 1 and 2 feet tall. It has tough, ribbed green stems and segmented dark-green leaves containing toothed leaflets. During June and July, small white flowers bloom and later bear the smooth gray seeds. Wet and salty soils, swamps, and marshes are the preferred environments for celery. Celery is blanched to generate the edible white stem during cultivation by burying the stem. Celery seeds have a spicy odor and a spicy, slightly bitter taste. Celery seed oil is obtained by steam distillation of the seed.

Commercial varieties grown in North America are generally called pascal celery. In Europe, the term "celery" is frequently used to refer to a related root vegetable, A. graveolens L. var rapaceum, DC. Wild celery can refer to Vallisneria spiralis L., an aquatic perennial. Essential oil of mountain celery seeds is produced from a related species, Cryptotaenia japonica, and should not be confused with A. graveolens.1, 2, 3

History

Celery originated as a wild plant that grew in salt marshes around the Mediterranean Sea. About 450 BC, the Greeks used celery to make a type of wine called selinites. It served as an award at early athletic games, much like laurel leaves or olive branches. By the Middle Ages, Europeans were cultivating celery. Since then, the plant has been widely used as food and medicine. Late in the 19th century, various celery tonics and elixirs appeared commercially, generally containing the juice of crushed celery seeds and often with a large amount of alcohol. Celery seed is mainly used as a diuretic for bladder and kidney complaints, as well as for arthritis and rheumatism. The essential oil produces sedative effects. Celery continues to be used as a food flavor and in soaps and gum. A celery seed–flavored soda, Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray, is still available. Celery has become increasingly popular with dieters because of its high fiber content and the mistaken belief that chewing and digesting the stalks uses more calories than celery contains. Herbalists recommend celery for treatment of arthritis, nervousness, an...