P
(f; CAN; PH2); Exanthema (f; FEL); Fever (1; CRC; FEL; PED; PNC); Fungus (1; APA);
Gallstone (1; CRC; PED); Gastrosis (f; PH2); Gonorrhea (f; FEL; MAD); Gravel (2; BGB;
CRC; KOM; PH2); Halitosis (1; APA; PED); Hepatosis (f; APA; MAD); High Blood Pressure
(1; APA; CAN; CRC; PED); Hyperuricemia (f; JFM); Impotence (f; MAD); Induration (f;
JLH); Infection (1; APA); Inflammation (1; PH2; PNC; SHT); Insomnia (1; PNC); Jaundice
(f; CRC; HH2; PHR; PH2); Kidney Stone (2; APA; KOM; PH2); Lice (1; CRC; MAD); Malaria
(f; FEL); Mastosis (f; FEL); Myalgia (f; CAN); Mycosis (1; APA); Nephrosis (f; CRC; JFM;
PHR; PH2); Nervousness (1; PNC); Pain (f; MAD); Parasite (1; APA; CRC); Pediculosis (1;
APA; CRC); Rheumatism (f; BGB; CAN; MAD); Scarlatina (f; FEL); Scrofula (f; CRC);
Splenosis (f; APA; MAD); Stomachache (f; APA); Stone (1; CRC; MAD; PED; PH2); Strangury
(f; FEL); Swelling (f; CRC; JFM; MAD); Toothache (f; MAD); Tumor (f; APA; CRC);
Urethrosis (f; MAD); Uterosis (f; CRC); UTI (2; APA; PHR; PH2); VD (f; FEL); Wart (f;
CRC; JLH); Whitlow (f; CRC); Wound (f; JLH).
Dosages (Parsley) — 100–150 g fresh juice (MAD); 6 g leaf (HH2; KOM; SHT); 1–2 tsp dry
leaf/cup water (APA); 1–2 tsp dry root/cup water (APA); 2–4 g root, or in tea (CAN); 2 g root in
tea 2–3 ×/day (HH2); 2.5–5 ml liquid root extract (PNC); 1–2 g seed (CAN); 500–1500 mg seed
(MAD); 1 tsp (~1.4 g) bruised seed/cup water (APA); 2.5–5 ml liquid seed extract (PNC); 2–4 g
herb, or in tea (CAN); 6 g herb (KOM); 2–4 tbsp fresh herb (PED); 3–6 g dry herb (PED); 4.5 g
dry herb:22 ml alcohol/23 ml water (PED); 6 g herb or root/day (PH2); 2–4 ml herb or root liquid
extract (1:1 in 25% ethanol) 3 ×/day (CAN); 3–4 drops parley oil as diuretic, or 2–4 fl oz infusion
3–4 ×/day (FEL). “The leaves, bruised, are a good application to contusions, swelled breasts, and
enlarged glands — reputed to ‘dry up the milk’ (FEL).”
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Parsley) — Class 2b. Contraindicated in
nephrosis (AHP). “Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages”
(PH2). Commission E approves the herb and root, not the seed (fruit) (KOM). CAN cautions
that the apiole in the volatile oil and excessive ingestion can be abortifacient, irritant, photo-
toxic, and cause hepatosis. In pregnancy and lactation, parsley should not be ingested exces-
sively (CAN). Myristicin can cause deafness, decrease in pulse rate, giddiness, hypotension,
and paralysis, followed by fatty degeneration of the kidney and liver. Myristicin may cross
the placenta, leading to fetal tachycardia. Ingestion of 10 g apiole (200 g parsley) may cause
acute hemolytic anemia, hepatic dysfunction, nephrosis, and thrombocytopenia pupura (CAN).
Parsley may potentiate MAOI activity (CAN). Because of its toxicity, EO should not be used
in isolation (KOM). Commission E is rather tough on parsley seed oil, but the indictment,
overblown or not, might conceivably be extended to other herbs containing apiole and myris-
ticin. Of apiole, “Large doses of parsley-seed EO and of ... apiol bring about vascular congestion
and increased contractility of the smooth muscle of the bladder, intestines, and especially the
uterus. Parsley seed and oil are therefore often used to bring about abortion.” (BIS) The renal
epithelium can be damaged or irritated and cardiac arrhythmias can occur after using parsley
seed preparations (BIS). “Large doses of apiol can lead to fatty liver, emaciation, extensive
mucosal bleeding, and inflammatory haemorrhagic infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract,
haemoglobinuria, methaeglobinuria, and anuria. Therapeutic use cannot be endorsed” (Com-
mission E, as interpreted by Bisset, 1994). Commission E reports contraindications: pregnancy
and nephrosis; adverse effects: allergic reactions of skin/mucosae (rarely) and phototoxicity.
The pure oil is toxic and should not be used. Fruit not permitted for therapeutic use. The EO
and its constituent apiole are toxic (AEH). When parsley is decocted it is emmenagogue and
abortive. A young woman, in 1992, reportedly died while trying to abort. “Even the common
parsley mentioned earlier can cause serious injuries; oedema of the legs, vomiting, haematuria,
liver and renal damage have all been observed. However, poisoning by this plant is never
accidental, but always voluntary, so the plant can be used safely in preparing food”
(FIT67(6):513. 1996).