toxicities and showed no teratogenic activity
in animal experiments.^18
The petroleum ether-soluble fraction of
celery seed exhibited antioxidative properties
on lard.^19
TOXICOLOGY
Celery seed oil is reported to be generally
nonirritating, nonsensitizing, and nonphoto-
toxic, though cases of mild to severe dermati-
tis resulting from contact with celery plants
are well documented20,21and owe to the pres-
ence of phototoxic furanocoumarins also
found in the seeds (WICHTL). The seeds are
contraindicated in pregnancy (NEWALL).
USES
Medicinal, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic.
Oil is used in certain tonic, sedative, and
carminative preparations and as a fragrance
component in soaps, detergents, creams, lo-
tions, and perfumes. Use levels in cosmetics
range from a low of 0.0003% (3 ppm) in
detergents to a maximum of 0.4% in
perfumes.^20
Food. Celery seed oil, celery seed, and cel-
ery seed extracts are all extensively used as
flavoring ingredients in all major food pro-
ducts, including alcoholic and nonalcoholic
beverages, frozen dairy desserts, candy, baked
goods, gelatins and puddings, meat and meat
products, condiments and relishes, soups,
gravies, snack foods, and others. Use levels
reported for the oil are usually very low, with
the highest average maximum of about
0.005% (46.6 ppm) in condiments and
relishes.
Dietary Supplements/Health Foods. Celery
seed or celery seed extracts are used as flavor-
ing or for anti-inflammatory, sedative, urinary
antiseptic, and mild diuretic effects in herbal
dietary supplements; also in antirheumatic
formulations (NEWALL;WREN).Traditional Medicine. The seeds are used in
India as an antispasmodic to treat asthma and
bronchitis and diseases of the liver and spleen
(NADKARNI); also in kidney failure, bladder and
kidney calculi, edema, gout, pleurisy, flatu-
lence, and others (WICHTL). Oil reportedly used
as diuretic in dropsy and bladder ailments, as a
nervine and antispasmodic, and in rheumatoid
arthritis. In the European tradition, the seeds
have been used as carminative, stomachic,
emmenagogue, diuretic, and laxative; also for
glandular stimulation, gout, kidney stones,
rheumatic complaints, nervous unrest, loss of
appetite, and exhaustion (BLUMENTHAL 1 ;
WICHTL). Leaves and petioles are used for skin
problems in addition to above uses.COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONSOil and oleoresin (extracts); seed was former-
ly official in N.F., and oil is official in F.C.C.
Extracts come in various forms with strengths
(seeglossary) expressed in weight-to-weight
ratios or in flavor intensities. Celery (includ-
ing stems, roots, herb, and seed) is the
subject of a German therapeutic monograph.
Effectiveness of traditional claims is not
documented; therefore, use is not recom-
mended (BLUMENTHAL1).Regulatory Status. The seed is regulated as a
dietary supplement and is GRAS as a natural
flavoring or seasoning (§182.10). The solvent-
free oleoresin, essential oil, and natural ex-
tractives of the seed are also GRAS (§182.20).REFERENCES
See the General References forAPPLEQUIST;ARCTANDER;BAILEY2;BARNES;BISSET;DER MARDEROSIAN AND
BEUTLER;FEMA;GRIEVE;GUENTHER;GUPTA;HUANG;JIANGSU;LIST AND HO ̈RHAMMER;LUST;MARTINDALE;
NEWALL:ROSENGARTEN;TERRELL;UPHOF;WICHTL;WREN.
166 Celery seed