Celery 329
Due to its sedative and nerve-stimulant properties, celery has been successfully
employed in curing rheumatoid arthritis (Guenther, 1950). It helps in detoxifying the
body and improving the circulation of blood to the muscles and joints. The phthalides
present in celery seed and oil are said to have antirheumatic properties. Prajapati et
al., (2003) has advocated the use of celery for curing rheumatic pain in muscles of
neck and sacrum and curing dysmenorrhoea with short pains in both ovarian regions.
The coumarins, (furanocoumarian, bergapten) stimulate skin tanning and are a smooth
muscle relaxant. The presence of minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium,
phosphorus, potash, sodium and zinc also supports the repair of connective tissue and
is thus useful for treating arthritis.
The seed oil and other fatty oils from celery seed have been reported to possess
antispasmodic qualities. Celery seed oil acts as an intestinal antiseptic. The emulsion
of seed oil is useful in relieving flatulence, colic pain, vomiting and is a house-hold
remedy to correct gastric disorders. The presence of d-limonene and b-selinene probably
contribute towards celery antispasmodic action.
As reviewed by Chevallier (2001), a study in India found the seeds to have marked
liver protective activity and extracts of the seeds may also lower blood fat levels.
Chinese research indicates that oil lowers blood pressure. One phthalide, 3-n-butyl-
phthalide, in celery is said to relax the smooth muscle linings of the blood vessels,
thereby lowering blood pressure. Phthalide works directly by dilating vessels. The
phthalides are a natural sedative also. Perhaps this sedative activity could translate
into reduced stress further translating into reduced cardiopathy. Celery is therefore
one of the dozens of reputed aphrodisiacs. In addition to phthalides, celery is fairly
well endowed with a few other hypotensive compounds including ascorbic acid,
bergapten (sometimes phototoxic), fibre, magnesium and rutin, so celery contains,
hypotensive, hypercholesterolemic and calcium blocker phyto chemicals (Kaufman
et al., 1999; Duke, 1983). As well as hypotensive properties, Kaufman et al., (1999)
reported that celery contains more than two dozen anti-inflammatory compounds (a-
pinene, apigenin, ascorbic acid, bergapten, butylidene-phthalide, caffeic acid,
chlorogenic acid, cnidilide, copper, coumarin, eugenol, ferulic acid, gentisic acid,
isopimpinellin, linoleic acid, luteolin, magnesium, mannitol, myristicin, protocatechuic
acid, quercetin-3-galactoside, rutin, scopoletin, thymol, umbelliferone and xanthotoxin).
Thus celery seed might prove synergetically useful in gout and other types of arthritis
problems.
Celery stems and seeds have long been taken for the treatment of urinary problems.
Their use helps the kidneys to dispose of urates and other waste products and works
to reduce the acidity in the body as a whole. Due to its diuretic properties, celery herb
and seed is helpful in curing obstinate retention of urine (Prajapati et al., 2003). Thus
the consumption of organic celery juice with carrot juice is preferred for its cleansing
action on the body; it is an effective treatment for cystitis, helping to disinfect the
bladder and urinary tubules.
The major functional properties have been already discussed and a few authors
have mentioned celery as being a stimulant and carminative, emmenagogue. It also
has properties to cure headache and itching blotches with burning. The traditional
and modern uses of celery as a medicine are given below (Sayre, 2001).
Traditional use as medicine
Europe, America, Asia Leaves, stalks, root stalks as a nutritional source
European use Roots as a folk aphrodisiac
Ancient Egyptian use Seeds as medicine