Celery Seed for Gout/ Arthritis Pain

[Guest guest]

Celery Seed for Gout/ Arthritis Pain JoAnn Guest Aug 30, 2005 16:39 PDT

Celery Seed - (Apium graveolens)

Jan 20, 2005 21:05 PST

 

 

The one medicinal plant among Duke's Dozen that I take faithfully every

day is the one I was initially the most skeptical about.

 

" The Crisis " is my name for a bout of gout, a condition I've endured for

nearly two decades. I'd get attacks in my big toe so debilitatingly

painful that words hardly do justice to the agony.

 

At high levels, uric acid accumulates and then crystallizes in certain

joints, typically the big toe. I so dread the pain these crystals cause

that I took allopurinol faithfully almost every day for nearly 18 years.

 

 

Ever since I started taking celery seed, though, I've abandoned

allopurinol.

 

I simply no longer need it.

 

Celery is a good example of phytochemical medicine in action.

 

For me, it's just as therapeutically effective as its man-made

pharmaceutical rival--maybe more so. It's also safer. And you don't need

a doctor's assistance or a discount prescription

card to obtain it. You can swallow the seeds in standardized

supplemental form.

 

You can guzzle the reedy stalks as a juice or tonic, chew on them raw or

relish celery's crunchy, flavorful presence in soups, salads, stews, and

pot roasts.

 

Try making a Bloody Mary with allopurinol. It won't work. And it won't

taste very good, either.

 

I was 49 when " the Crisis " (my term for a gout attack) struck for the

first time. That summer, I was munching on fresh asparagus from my

garden like it was going out of style.

 

Asparagus is one of the many foods high in purines, substances that the

body, courtesy of an enzyme called xanthine oxidase, converts into uric

acid.

 

Too much uric acid can lead to gout.

 

I awoke one morning to pain in my big toe so excruciating that I

couldn't even stand the weight of a bed sheet on my foot. Imagine what

it was like to put on a sock and attempt to walk. My doctor diagnosed

the problem immediately and prescribed colchicine, a very heavy duty

chemical (derived, incidentally, from the autumn crocus) that purges the

crystals as it purges you. (Laxity is one side effect.)

 

For a while, I tried the dietary route, avoiding asparagus, organ meats,

mushrooms, sardines, and other foods high in purines. All to no avail.

Finally, another doctor suggested allopurinol (a pill

a day for life for preventing gout) and indomethacin, a potent

anti-inflammatory that stops gout attacks not prevented by allopurinol

(or those that come on if you forget to take allopurinol). I didn't

forget too often in the succeeding 18 years. In fact, I came to remember

a few other things: that drinking a six-pack and forgetting my

allopurinol (not necessarily in that order) brought on the Crisis the

next day and that getting hurt also triggered an attack.

 

So on my merry way I went, studying plants as substitutes for

pharmaceuticals and taking my man-made medication like a good little

pain-fearing patient.

 

Then one day I came across an advertisement for a phytochemical

supplement that purportedly prevented gout.

 

celery seed extract, the ad claimed, was hypouricemic; it lowered uric

acid.

 

I arched an eyebrow. I scoffed. I knew about celery seed. I've heard

about its reputed medicinal properties. I had recorded everything known

about the plant in my herbal archives.

 

Sure, I'd read that it possessed some anti-inflammatory properties, but

nowhere had I heard that it reduced uric acid.

 

Itching for an argument and suspecting that he was motivated more by

profit than science, I wrote to the man behind the ad, asking for more

information about his research.

 

Imagine my surprise when I received copies of studies conducted in

Australia and South Africa attesting to the anti-inflammatory qualities

of celery seed extract.

 

The science looked good. I was impressed. But how could I verify that it

worked? I didn't have my own lab, and no other research in the world

attested to the claims. And then the dangerous idea dawned on me: I

could serve as my own human guinea pig.

 

Tossing aside everything I knew and believed about the advisability of

discontinuing a medication, I stopped taking allopurinol.

Instead, I swallowed, optimistically but hesitantly, four capsules of

standardized celery seed extract. Then I braced myself. I was sure I'd

wake up the next day to the oppressive load of the bed sheet on my big

toe.

 

The next day, nothing. The day after that? Nothing still. For a week

here at home in my herbal vineyard, I took celery seed extract. And my

big toe was as happy as it could be.

 

Coincidence? I didn't think so, but I couldn't be certain. I knew I'd

find out soon, though. I had to leave for a week in Peru--a week of

walking several miles a day through the rain forest, a week that

inevitably would end with a parting ceremony filled with drink and

dance. If ever there were a prescription for triggering the Crisis, this

was it.

 

And so I went, armed with an ample supply of celery seed extract--and my

anti-inflammatory medication, indomethacin, just in case. I toughed it

out in the jungles all week long, and the gout held off. No problems.

 

I didn't need the anti-inflammatory indomethacin.

 

Then on my last day there, we all convened at Tahuampa Bar, a

thatch-roof refuge stilted over a tributary of the Amazon. We worked

hard all week long and were ready to let our hair down.

 

It's a familiar scenario, one that I've been a part of many times

before: lots of drinking, lots of over-vigorous dancing with guides who

play great rancheros and salsa music. I recall an episode from years

earlier in which spirited dancing to spirited music with spirituous

Amazonian rum precipitated a splenetic attack of gout. Still, I didn't

care. I was in the middle of an experiment.

 

So this 67-year-old man took his celery seed extract, drank his potent

Peruvian rum, danced--barefooted!--the dances of a 30-year-old, and

threw caution to the wind. All evening long at the Tahuampa, we cut the

rug and shook the mahogany floor. I remember, at one point, writhing to

the beat with my partner, a masseuse who's a quarter or a third my age.

We jumped up and down, then sideways, then up and down again, with me

leaping higher and higher.

 

All of a sudden I felt an agonizing pain as I dropped down on my left

foot. I thought I dislodged my hip from my pelvis. It hurt like hell.

But, probably exceeding the legal limit for dancing, I kept on moving

and finished out the song. Then, weary, hurting, and barely able to

walk, I quietly absented myself and went to bed.

 

The next day greeted me with black-and-blue marks spanning some 15

inches from my left upper hip to below my buttock. It hurt. I could

barely walk. But I tried not to show my pain. After all, in store for us

that day were two hours on the Amazon, a long wait at Iquitos

International Airport, and an even longer journey home. I didn't want to

dampen anyone's fun, and complaining certainly wouldn't have put me out

of my misery, although part of me wished someone would.

 

From the river, through Peru, and through long walks at the airports in

Miami, Charlotte, and Baltimore, I was in agony all the way back--but

not from gout.

 

My big toe never let out a peep.

 

Knowing that traumatic injuries can conjure up the Crisis just as easily

as a traumatic party, I fully expected a double-duty dose of gout pain.

I anticipated it as a sentry awaits an imminent attack.

 

At my side was a bottle of indomethacin, but I didn't reach for it.

Instead, I took celery seed extract.

 

I was, as I've said, in the middle of an experiment. In case an

infection simmered near the damaged hip joint, I took some echinacea.

 

By all rights, I should have fallen over in agony somewhere between

Miami and Charlotte. Certainly, I should have been causing an

embarrassing scene in the aisle of the airplane somewhere over Virginia.

 

 

 

But I didn't. I didn't feel very well, but I knew that gout wasn't part

of my pain.

 

Finally back home, I took some turmeric and boswellin (along with celery

seed), then crashed, anticipating that the Crisis would awaken me the

next day. It didn't. In fact, I slept through my shift back to Eastern

Standard Time, got up and performed my usual back exercises, walked out

into my beautiful herbal vineyard, did some back stretches later on,

took two more celery seed supplements, and felt pretty good.

 

My wife was in Michigan, visiting our daughter. I was all alone--just

me, the birds, and the other animals.

Well, that's not entirely true. The indomethacin was never far from

ready reach. But I didn't need it--not so long as I had celery seed

extract.

 

As I walked around the garden, my limp grew less noticeable. I took it

easy, but I was still using my brutally abused hip. By the end of the

day, I concluded that I didn't even need to see the chiropractor or

osteopath.

 

The next morning, I took more celery seed extract, felt even better, and

continued to go about my business. Still no reason to take the

indomethacin. Days wore on to weeks, weeks progressed to months. Before

I knew it, Thanksgiving was at hand, then Christmas and New Year's and

all the excesses that each holiday mandates. Throughout it all, the

Crisis stayed away.

 

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? I didn't

forget my old acquaintance (gout) that holiday season, but I did the

year after. And the year after that. With celery at my side, gout pain

is just a ghost of grimaces past.

 

Good riddance.

 

=====================================================================

 

What Celery Seed Is and What It Can Do

 

If you ask Commission E (a German panel of experts roughly equivalent to

the Federal Drug Administration), nothing about celery makes it worthy

of recommendation. It's used only occasionally in folk medicine,

according to the panel, mostly as a diuretic for kidney and bladder woes

and as an ancillary supplement for rheumatism.

The commission apparently didn't do the same homework I did and is thus

a wee bit pessimistic.

I think Commission E is conservative in this respect.

 

My own experience has convinced me that celery seed is an effective

preventive for gout.

 

For me, at least, no matter how much I tempt hyperuricemia, whether

with an injury or a six-pack, celery seed seems to keep the Crisis at

bay. Even three years into my experiment, my success could just be

coincidence. Maybe I'm just one big 220-pound anecdote. But I doubt it.

I think I'm on to something here.

 

HERB LORE AND MORE

Celery's light-green stalks seem so commonplace, so mundane that you

might not suspect the plant boasts a long history of numerous

therapeutic uses.

 

Folk medicine practitioners dispensed various leaf preparations for

cancerous ulcers, inflammatory tumors, herpes infections on the fingers

(whitlows), and corns. Seed-based remedies were said to help breast and

vulvar tumors.

 

Celery juice could purportedly treat some forms of cancer in the eye and

stomach, while a tea decocted from the seeds was said to help lumbago

and rheumatism.

Other folk practitioners used the seeds against liver and spleen

diseases, bronchitis, asthma, and flatulence.

 

Indian medical experts believe the roots and leaves relieve colic,

encourage excretion, and lessen tissue swelling from water retention.

 

In Chinese medicine, the seeds are a standard treatment for dizziness,

high blood pressure, calming the body, and regulating the menstrual

cycle.

 

The plant and its seeds have also been given to provoke menstruation and

abortion. Celery's volatile oils do, in fact, induce uterine

contractions and trigger menstrual flow. (Remember, an overdose of many,

if not all, herbs and medicines can do the same or present problems for

pregnant women.

 

A former National Institutes of Health director has gone so far as to

say that pregnant women and children should avoid all

herbs. I cannot support such an extreme position.)

 

 

 

How Celery Seed Can Help

 

Apart from gout, let's look at what other applications might work, too.

 

Arthritis and inflammation. Whether you suffer from gout or arthritis,

you need to cool the fires. celery seed is just what the doctor ordered

for both conditions because of its myriad " anti-inflammatory "

properties.

 

Phytochemicals relieve pain and reduce " water retention " and tissue

swelling.

 

Gas. In folk medicine, celery has a long-standing reputation as a

" carminative, " something that alleviates flatulence and the stomach

pains associated with gas.

 

I've received anecdotal accounts that relief comes rather quickly, too.

According to other informal but informed reports, it also relieves

indigestion, cramping, and heartburn.

 

Heart problems.

 

Celery's active ingredients make it of potential value if you have

arrhythmia or the chest pains of angina.

 

With compounds that lower cholesterol and blood pressure, dilate

arteries, thwart fluid retention and tissue swelling, normalize heart

rhythm, and fight hardening of the arteries, I'd say it's a must-have

medicinal for anyone concerned about cardiac health.

 

Hypertension. Celery contains " apigenin " , just one of about a dozen

active

ingredients that contribute to healthy blood pressure.

 

Science has confirmed celery's value from both clinical and experimental

research. In one small study, 14 out of 16 men reduced their

sphygmomanometer readings by drinking 40 milliliters of celery juice

three times a day.

 

Other lab investigations show that celery extract lowers blood pressure

in dogs and rabbits; direct injections of an extract cut blood pressure

significantly.

 

FROM MY SCIENCE NOTEBOOK

 

Celery is chock-full of substances that explain its healing properties.

After I began to use myself as a guinea pig to ascertain its effect on

gout, I turned to the U.S. Department of Agriculture databases for an

assessment of its anti-inflammatory potential.

 

I wasn't surprised to retrieve a list of some 25 anti-inflammatory

compounds. Now we know why celery seed is an ingredient in some 60

British " anti-inflammatory " preparations.

 

Celery is also a good source of " apigenin " , which allows blood vessels

to relax and dilate.

 

This natural compound is just one of more than a dozen active

ingredients that contribute to healthy blood pressure, either directly

or by encouraging the body to excrete excess fluids--something Chinese

medical practitioners have known for a long time.

 

Natural " calcium-channel blockers " and " heart rhythm stabilizers " are

among celery's myriad active ingredients, making the plant of potential

value if you have arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) or the chest pains of

angina.

 

Little or no scientific research validates celery's other therapeutic

uses. I can't confirm its effectiveness, either, but I can tell you that

at least some of its phytochemical content explains folk uses against

cystitis, kidney stones, and gallstones.

 

Its essential oils possess some tranquilizing action, perhaps explaining

its folklore use as a sedative.

 

 

 

How to Take It and How Much

 

Until clinical trials compare celery seed extract, whole stalks of

celery, and allopurinol, we'll never really know what the average person

can rely on for freedom from gout or arthritis. Nor can we really know

how much to take for heart-related help. One day, I hope, someone will

conduct such research. Until then, I can only make guesses and tell you

what works for me. You take it from there.

 

Supplements.

 

At first, I took four capsules of standardized celery seed extract a day

to keep the gout away. I later learned, though, that I

could get by just as well on two daily capsules. The first capsules I

took contained 800 milligrams of concentrated extract. Then I graduated

to 500 milligram capsules, standardized to contain 450 milligrams of

extract.

 

WHAT NEW RESEARCH TELLS US

We don't know if eating celery or taking it as a standardized supplement

can improve blood fat profiles in people, but it appears to work for

rats.

 

In one study, scientists deliberately raised cholesterol levels in two

groups of lab rodents by feeding them a high-fat diet for eight weeks.

 

One group was then given regular supplements of a celery extract.

 

Cholesterol profiles for the celery-swilling rats improved markedly,

with triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and total cholesterol all

dropping. In another experiment, a celery extract was given for 13 days

to a group of rats genetically destined to have high cholesterol and to

another group with normal blood fat profiles.

 

The plant supplement prevented cholesterol increases among the

genetically predetermined rodents, while blood fat readings among the

other rats remained unchanged.

 

 

 

Food. My success bred further experimental daring and allowed me to

discover that the " food farmacy " route works just as well. For two

different two-week periods at home, I stopped taking supplements and

relied on eating four stalks of celery a day.

 

Gout still didn't put a crimp in my walk, even when I challenged myself

with the six-pack test.

 

Right now, supplements remain the mainstay of my do-it-yourself gout

treatment, but every once in a while the cheapskate in me emerges. If

celery goes on sale at the grocery store, I'll buy bunches of bunches,

juice and freeze most of it, but save some to eat.

 

Four stalks or two to four capsules a day may be enough to keep the

cardiologist away, as well. Again, that's an estimation on my part.

====================================================================

DR. DUKE'S RECIPES

Angelade

 

To enhance the phytochemical results in mild cases of hypertension,

juice some garlic, onion, and organic tomato along with the celery.

 

For more serious heart conditions and cardiovascular disease, I've

concocted something I call " angelade. " It's a juice made from angelica,

carrots, celery, fennel, parsley, and parsnips. (Hawthorn makes a good

addition for people with heart disease.)

 

I'd like to think that angelade packs the calcium-channel-blocking

punch of verapamil. I'll probably never know for sure, but I'll wager

that it's safer than pharmaceutical calcium-channel blockers.

 

It won't make your legs swell, it won't make you dizzy, and it won't

give you a headache--all known possible side effects of these drugs.

 

 

 

Seeds.

How else might you take celery seed? Some research reports success with

an infusion tea made by mixing one-half to one teaspoon of celery seeds

in a cup of hot water. Others suggest using 3Ž4 teaspoon of crushed

seeds per cup of water, taking 0.3 to 1.2 milliliters of a 1:1 liquid

extract three times a day.

 

For gas and gastric pain, chewing, but not swallowing, one teaspoon of

celery seeds may help. For complete relief, you might have to chew on a

second spoonful. I can't vouch for the remedy, however, because my

experience in this regard is limited. I once tried it and found the

seeds rather gritty. Right now, though, I'm getting hungry just thinking

about sprinkling some seeds (maybe a tablespoon) on a piece or two of

garlic-buttered toast.

 

DR. DUKE'S NOTES

For hypertension, traditional Chinese practitioners prescribe three

daily cups of heated celery juice.

 

A clinical study done in China demonstrated that 20 milliliters of

celery juice, along with 20 milliliters of honey, thrice daily,

effectively lowered high blood pressure.

 

 

 

Useful Combinations

 

I don't need anything else to keep the Crisis away. You might. For gout,

arthritis, and help for heart problems, Mother Nature has stronger

possibilities to which celery should serve as a companion. I'll mention

the best.

 

For Outing Gout

 

Here are several useful combinations for getting gout out.

 

Cat's claw. In my pre-celery days, I once found myself caught with my

pants down and my toe pain up. No pharmaceuticals on hand for help.

Desperate for relief, I took a couple of pills that contained this herb,

known for its ability to throw a bucket of water on inflammation.

Nothing happened. So I took two more. Again, nothing. Two more pills

later, still no relief. Neglecting the advice I always give others about

ingesting too much of a medicinal herb, I swallowed a few morecapsules.

And a few more. When I had consumed a total of 12 capsules, I finally

noticed some pain abatement. I'd never intentionally substitute uño de

gato, as it's called, for celery in a case of the Crisis, but it could

come in handy in a pinch.

 

 

Cherries.

 

Science doesn't provide any reason for why the fruit might alleviate

gout, but a friend of mine swears by black cherries, as do many other

people. I once tried a juice made from tame and wild cherries, but it

didn't impress me nearly as much as celery does, so count me out. Maybe

the remedy will work for you. If you want to try, you'll need to eat

about eight ounces of the fruit, canned or fresh.

 

Chiso. If you've given celery the chance it deserves but still double

over with a painful big toe, try some chiso. This minty weed contains

four different xanthine oxidase inhibitors that will help curb your

body's production of uric acid. As a medication and a food, chiso is

popular in the East. I like to put it in my mint teas.

 

Licorice.

Get the " real thing " , not twisted sticks of the candy-counter

impostor.

True licorice lowers potassium levels in some people, so

proceed cautiously. If you're not affected, my guess is that teaming up

licorice and chiso will improve your overall anti-gout counterattack.

 

Turmeric. Another ingredient in Duke's Dozen, this Indian spice works

via a different mechanism. The curcumin it contains deters certain

pain-producing prostaglandins in the body.

 

In high dosages, it also triggers the release of pain-easing cortisone

from the adrenal glands. (See Chapter 15, turmeric, for dosage

information.)

 

Other foods. If you're caught without your celery, licorice, and

cherries, other foods might get you out of that painful pinch.

---

 

Eat more oats, olives, and pineapple.

 

The first two are decent diuretics, while pineapple contains bromelain ,

 

an anti-inflammatory. Other herbs that might help harness gout pain

include Devil's claw, stinging nettle , and willow.

 

Arthritis Aids

 

Pineapple is a smart pick if arthritis is your main complaint.

 

Its bromelain helps the body get rid of two compounds implicated in the

joint disease. stinging nettle and willow, aspirin's original herbal

form, are valuable here, too, though they might share the ulcer-inducing

potential of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

 

But you have a couple of other companions:

 

Ginger.

 

Some 75 percent of the people with rheumatoid arthritis in one small

long-term study felt better after they took ginger, in daily dosages

ranging from three to seven grams. After more than two years, the relief

persisted, and nobody ever felt any untoward effects.

 

Oregano.

 

Oxidation apparently is part of the inflammatory process, and oregano

contains some rather strong antioxidant chemicals. As research continues

to affirm that antioxidants help to relieve both rheumatoid arthritis

and osteoarthritis, I'd redouble my efforts to include oregano in both

my food and my supplement regimen.

 

Red pepper.

 

Maybe all of the pain perception is transferred from your joints to your

tongue, but you gain a temporary respite from arthritic aches when you

eat red pepper. It works topically, too. Capsaicin, the " hot " property

in this plant, interferes with the transmission of pain impulses and

encourages the body to release endorphins.

 

Other foods. Fortify your arthritis defense with Brazil nuts and

sunflower seeds, both good food sources of the anti-inflammatory

pain-relieving nutrient " S-adenosyl-methionine " , and rosemary, a good

antioxidant partner to oregano.

 

 

A Hand for Your Heart

 

If you're looking for the premier phytochemical fix for cardiovascular

health, especially as it relates to high blood pressure and high

cholesterol, dog-ear this page and go straight to the chapter on garlic.

 

 

Celery is pretty good against these two risk factors for heart disease,

but garlic is one of the cornerstones of a natural treatment.

Then turn to chapter 9 on hawthorn and similar heart herbs. Come on

back when you're ready to finish your primer on celery seed.

 

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects

 

I haven't experienced any. Nor did I knowingly fall victim to any of

allopurinol's well-known side effects, which include skin reactions and

eruptions, drowsiness, diarrhea, and nausea, not to mention the infamous

" induction period, " a month-long spate of time when you first start

taking the drug during which gout attacks can actually increase. But

many other people have.

 

I took allopurinol for almost 18 years, and I hope I'll be taking celery

seed for the next 18 years to fairly compare its potential for side

effects.

 

In the meantime, I'll go with my instincts and predict that the natural

is less likely to do harm than the unnatural.

 

So far, 3 years have passed, and I haven't noticed any consequences.

 

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/54/4.cfm

====================================================================

Post subject: CELERY EXTRACT

---

www.doctormurray.com

 

Introduction

 

Celery is a member of the Umbelliferous family along with carrots,

parsley, and fennel. The modern celery originated from wild celery

native to the Mediterranean where its seeds were once highly valued as a

medicine.

 

Like many other folk medicines, modern research is upholding the

medicinal value of this common plant.

 

In particular, scientists are evaluating the most powerful of the

healing factors of celery, a compound known as 3-n-butylphthalide or 3nB

for short.

 

3nB is a compound that is unique to celery and is responsible for the

characteristic flavor and odor of celery. 3nB was discovered as the

active component of celery in response to investigations by researchers

seeking to explain some of the medicinal effects of celery including the

lowering of blood pressure and the relief of arthritis.

 

3nB first drew significant scientific attention when researchers at the

University of Chicago Medical Center identified it as the factor in

celery responsible for the blood pressure lowering effect of celery.

 

The research was prompted by one of the researcher's father, who after

eating a quarter-pound of celery every day for one week observed his

blood pressure dropped from 158 over 96 to a normal reading of 118 over

82. Subsequent animal studies found that a very small amount of 3nB

lowered blood pressure by 12 to 14% and also lowered cholesterol by

about 7%.

 

 

The blood pressure lowering effect of 3nB appears to be a result of

several effects. First of all, let me explain exactly what blood

pressure refers to. It refers to the force with which your blood flows

through the vessels.

 

High blood pressure is usually the result of too much fluid there is in

your blood and how flexible or resistant your blood vessels are.

 

Retention of sodium (salt) leads to increase fluid volume in the blood

while hardening of the arteries and the hormones released during stress

lead to loss of flexibility or constriction of blood flow.

 

If you put your thumb over a garden hose, the pressure against your

thumb and the resultant pressure of the flow of water out of the hose

can be reduced by either turning down the faucet (reducing the fluid

volume) or by letting more water flow out the end of the hose (dilating

the vessel).

 

In treating high blood pressure, doctors usually prescribed diuretics

(water pills) to reduce the fluid volume and vasodilators to relax the

arteries to reduce the resistance of blood flow or beta-blockers to turn

down the pumping action of the heart.

 

3nB appears to help lower blood pressure by both acting as a diuretic

and vasodilator through impacting the production of prostaglandins

(discussed below) as well as acting in a similar manner to drugs known

as calcium-channel blockers.

 

3nB has also been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the

formation of arterial plaque in experimental studies (animal and test

tube studies).

 

This effect may increase the elasticity of the blood vessels and also

lead to lower blood pressure readings. 3nB also appears to promote some

effects on areas and systems of the brain that control vascular

resistance.

 

 

The benefit of celery extract in high blood pressure is its apparent

safety and the fact that it has a very unusual mechanism of action as a

diuretic.

 

Most diuretics change the ratio of sodium to potassium in the blood and

as a result dangerous side effects can occur as a result of either too

much potassium or sodium.

 

In contrast, celery extract acts as a diuretic but does not alter the

ratio of sodium to potassium in the blood.

 

The research on the blood pressure lowering effect of celery and celery

extracts is quite preliminary, but I think it is certainly worth the

effort to give it a try as some people have noted significant

reductions.

 

What research will probably show is that some people with high blood

pressure will respond to celery extract while others will not. This

occurrence is not unusual as physicians treating high blood pressure

will tell you that there is a similar phenomena with conventional drugs

used in high blood pressure.

 

Another real advantage of celery extract over conventional drugs used in

high blood pressure is that the drugs lower blood flow to the brain.

 

While this effect is helpful in reducing the likelihood of stroke, it

often leaves people taking these drugs feeling tired, depressed, dizzy,

and forgetful.

 

Celery extract on the other hand has actually been shown to not only

help prevent stroke in animal studies, but also improve blood flow as

well and act to protect the brain and enhance energy production with the

brain in a similar manner to Ginkgo biloba extract.

 

It has produced dramatic recovery in neurological and brain function in

animals in studies that simulate a stroke.

 

It has also been shown to significantly increase lifespan in animal

studies.

 

How much celery or celery extract should I take for high blood pressure?

 

 

3nB has shown tremendous promise as an anti-cancer phytonutrient and

detoxification aid in an experimental animal model, but it is its use as

a pain reliever in arthritis, fibromyalgia, and gout that is getting

most of the attention.

 

A celery extract standardized to contain 85% 3nB and other celery

phthalides has been evaluated in the treatment of " rheumatism " – the

general term used for arthritic and muscular aches and pain.

 

In these studies efficacy was evaluated by well-established clinical

protocols used to measure the effectiveness of conventional drugs used

in arthritis and muscular pain.

 

This protocol allows objective measures of clinical pain that can be

assessed statistically and for individual comparisons. Due to the

chronic, fluctuating nature of rheumatism, the design of the study was a

longitudinal study. This sort of study compares the results achieved

when using the active substance to a time when it is not used.

 

During the active phase of the 12-week study, the 15 subjects suffering

from either osteoarthritis, osteoporosis or gout received 34 mg of a

proprietary celery extract standardized to contain 85% phthalides twice

daily.

 

The pain had been present for approximately 10 years in a remittent or

continual form and it led to a lack of joint mobility and pain that

prevented the carrying out of household duties, hobbies and activities

involved in employment of these subjects.

 

The results of the study were extremely positive and quite statistically

significant. The chance that such a positive effect in reducing pain in

these subjects was a placebo effect was less than 1 in 1000.

 

Subjects experienced significant pain relief after 3 weeks of use with

the average reduction in pain scores of 68% and some subjects

experiencing complete 100% relief from pain. Most subjects achieved

maximum benefit after six weeks of use although some did notice

improvements the longer the extract was used.

Detailed blood chemistry as well as clinical evaluation in these test

subjects did not turn up any side effects.

 

Many subjects noticed a diuretic effect, but no changes were noted in

the sodium and potassium balance (the significance of this effect was

discussed above).

 

Based on the positive results in this small pilot study, a larger 70

patient study was conducted. Test subjects received 75 mg of the celery

extract twice daily for three weeks. At this higher dosage, subjects

reported even better results than in the pilot study.

 

Statistically and clinically significant reductions were noted in pain

scores, mobility, and quality of life. Again no side effects were noted

other than the diuretic effect with no changes in the sodium and

potassium balance.

 

It appears to be particularly helpful for sufferers of gout as 3nB

appears to lower the production of uric acid by inhibiting the enzyme

" xanthine oxidase " .

 

What is the proper dosage and are their any side effects?

 

Over 100,000 people in Australia have now used this proprietary celery

seed extract standardized at 85% phthalides without any reports of side

effects.

 

The current recommendations for joint and muscle complaints based on the

information now available from trials as well as clinical experience are

the following (based upon using a celery seed extract standardized to

contain 85% 3nB and other phthalides):

 

For the relief of join and muscle pain (including pain due to

osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia): one tablet two

to three times daily.

 

For gout: two tablets twice daily.

 

NOTE: The initial blood uric acid measurements may increase in people

with gout as uric acid crystals begin to dissolve.

 

Do you have to take the celery extract continuously to maintain benefits

in relieving joint and muscle pain?

 

Yes. Results from the studies conducted to date indicate that as long as

the celery extract is used it keeps pain at bay. But, if it is stopped

the pain tends to recur.

 

 

Based upon al of the existing research it is clear that 3nB exerts a

profound effect on many of the body’s control systems. Chief among them

the prostaglandin system.

 

Prostaglandins are chemicals that mediate or control many important body

processes including regulating inflammation, pain, and swelling; blood

pressure; and heart, digestive, and kidney function as well. Some of the

effects noted for 3nB on the prostaglandin system are quite unique and

novel.

 

Rather than simply inhibiting the production of prostaglandins by

blocking enzymes that produce them like aspirin or even the more

expensive and selective Cox-2 inhibitors, 3nB appears to help " restore

balance " in the prostaglandin system.

 

Exactly how it accomplishes this effect is still a mystery.

 

Drug companies are researching the unique effects of 3nB in order to

develop drugs that can be patented and sold for a huge profit. It does

not look like that line of research is necessary, however.

 

Can I take celery extract with conventional anti-inflammatory drugs?

 

Yes. There does not seem to be any adverse interactions with

conventional drugs.

 

Are there any contraindications?

 

Since the effects of celery extract have not been evaluated for safety

in pregnancy, it is generally recommended that it not be used during

pregnancy or lactation.

 

No other contraindications are presently known. I would advise

individuals taking the drug Coumadin (warfarin) to be closely monitored

by their physician when starting to use celery extract. It is just a

precautionary recommendation.

 

References:

 

Le QT and Elliott WJ: Hypotensive and hypocholesterolemic effects of

celery oil may be due to BuPh. Clin Res 1991;39:173A.

Tsi D and Tan BKH: Cardiovascular pharmacology of 3-n-butylphthalide in

spontaneously hypertensive rats. Phytotherapy Research 1997;11:576-82.

Le QT and Elliott WJ: Dose-response relationship of blood pressure and

serum cholesterol to 3-n-butylphthalide, a component of celery oil. Clin

Res 1991;39:750A.

Mimura Y, Kobayashi S, Naitoh T, Kimura I and Kimura M: The

structure-activity relationship between synthetic butylidenephthalide

derivatives regarding the competence and progression of inhibition in

primary cultures proliferation of mouse aorta smooth muscle cells. Biol

Pharm Bull 1995;18:1203-6.

Yu SR, Gao NN, Li LL, Wang ZY, Chen Y and Wang WN: The protective effect

of 3-butyl phthalide on rat brain cells. Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao

1988;23:656-61.

Chong ZZ and Feng YP: dl-3-n-butylphthalide improves regional cerebral

blood flow after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats. Chung Kuo

Yao Li Hsueh Pao 1999;20:509-12.

Chong ZZ and Feng YP: dl-3-n-butylphthalide attenuates

reperfusion-induced blood-brain barrier damage after focal cerebral

ischemia in rats. Chung Kuo Yao Li Hsueh Pao 1999;20:696-700.

Yan CH, Feng YP and Zhang JT: Effects of dl-3-n-butylphthalide on

regional cerebral blood flow in right middle cerebral artery occlusion

rats. Chung Kuo Yao Li Hsueh Pao 1998;19:117-20.

Lin JF and Feng YP: Effect of dl-3-n-butylphthalide on delayed neuronal

damage after focal cerebral ischemia and intrasynaptosomes calcium in

rats. Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao 1996;31:166-70.

Liu XG and Feng YP: Protective effect of dl-3-n-butylphthalide on

ischemic neurological damage and abnormal behavior in rats subjected to

focal ischemia. Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao 1995;30:896-903.

Zhang LY and Feng YP: Effect of dl-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) on life span

and neurological deficit in SHRsp rats. Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao

1996;31:18-23.

Zheng G, Kenney PM, Zhang J and Lam KT: Chemoprevention of

benzopyrene-induced forestomach cancer in mice by natural phthalides

from celery oil. Nutr Cancer 1993;19:77-86.

Soundararajan S and Daunter B: Ajvine: Pilot biomedical study for pain

relief in rheumatic pain. School of Medicine, The University of

Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 1991-92.

Venkat S, Soundararajan S, Daunter B and Madhusudhan S. Use of Ayurvedic

medicine in the treatment of rheumatic illness. Department of

Orthopaedics, Kovai Medical Center and Hospitals, Coimbatore, India,

1995.

Hu D, Huang XX and Feng YP: Effect of dl-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) on

purine metabolites in striatum extracellular fluid in four-vessel

occlusion rats. Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao 1996;31:13-7

Chong ZZ and Feng YP: Effects of dl-3-n-butylphthalide on production of

TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in rat brain during focal cerebral ischemia

and reperfusion. Chung Kuo Yao Li Hsueh Pao 1997;18:505-8.

 

 

 

 

Email: doctor-

=====================================================================

Post subject: Celery Seed

--

 

Celery Seed

 

http://www.alternativedr.com/catalog/article_info.php?articles_id=796

 

Celery seed, whose sharp, refreshing flavor you may have tasted in

pickles or sauerkraut, is also a useful herbal medicine. Celery seed has

had varied uses around the world for thousands of years. Recent

scientific studies have shown that certain chemicals in celery seed may

actually help problems such as high blood pressure, arthritis, and

anxiety. Celery seed may also help prevent cancer.

 

Celery seed has long been used to treat both arthritis and muscle spasm.

Several chemicals in celery seed block inflammation or relieve pain.

Others chemicals relax muscles that are in spasm. Celery seed contains

calcium, which can help relax muscle cramps.

 

Certain chemicals in celery seed are anti-bacterial, while others are

diuretic, meaning that they help remove water from the body in the form

of urine. This helps wash away bacteria and the minerals that cause

kidney and bladder stones.

 

Several chemicals in celery seed are hypotensive, meaning that they help

lower blood pressure. Celery seeds are also rich in calcium, which may

also lower blood pressure.

 

Celery seed has long been used in traditional medicine to treat gout and

kidney stones. It lowers the levels of uric acid in the body.

 

Studies in lab animals show that celery seed prevents liver damage

caused by toxic chemicals. It has been used for centuries as a liver

tonic.

 

Celery seed strengthens muscles in the uterus, which helps increase

menstrual flow.

 

A compound in celery seed called limonene acts as a mild tranquilizer.

The calcium in celery seed helps calm tense nerves.

 

Celery seed may also help prevent cancer. A number of chemicals in

celery seed prevented tumors in lab animals exposed to cancer-causing

substances.

 

Plant Description

 

Celery seeds come from the same plant whose stalks we've all eaten and

cooked with. If you've never seen the stalks in their natural habitat,

the celery plant is slender and stands about two to three feet tall. It

has three to five segmented leaves, and flowers with small white petals.

The seeds come from the flowers, are very small, are tan to dark brown,

and have a strong, pleasant smell.

 

What's It Made Of?

 

Volatile oils (including apiol), flavonoids, boron, calcium, iron,

limonene, sodium, zinc, 3-N-butyl-phthalide, alpha-linolenic-acid,

beta-eudesmol, guaiacol, isoimperatorin, isoquercitrin, limonene,

p-cymene, terpinen-4-ol, umbelliferone.

 

Available Forms

 

 

Fresh or dried seeds

Tablets

Capsules filled with celery seed oil

Celery seed extract, in which the active ingredients of celery seed have

been extracted by alcohol or glycerin

 

How to Take It

 

 

Celery seed oil capsules or tablets: Take one to two capsules or tablets

three times a day, as directed by your health care provider.

Celery seed extract: Take 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. three times a day, or as

directed by your health care provider. (Always take with plenty of juice

or with water at mealtime, unless instructed otherwise.)

Whole celery seeds: Prepare a tea by pouring boiling water over one

teaspoon (1 to 3 g) of freshly crushed seeds. Let it steep for 10 to 20

minutes before drinking. Drink this tea three times a day.

 

 

Possible Interactions

 

No harmful drug interactions have been reported.

 

Supporting Research

 

Appel LJ, Moore TJ et al. A clinical trial of the effects of dietary

patterns on blood pressure. N Engl J Med. 1997;336:1117–1124. Abstract.

 

Atta AH, et al. Anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of some

Jordanian medicinal plant extracts. J Ethnopharmacol. 1998;60:117–124.

 

Balch J, Balch P. Prescription for Nutritional Healing: A-to-Z Guide to

Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs, & Food Supplements.

New York, NY: Avery Publishing Group; 1990.

 

Banerjee S, Sharma R, Kale RK, Rao AR. Influence of certain essential

oils on carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes and acid-soluble sulfhydryls in

mouse liver. Nutr Cancer. 1994;21:263–269. Abstract.

 

Boffa MJ, Gilmour E, Ead RD. Case report. Celery soup causing severe

phototoxicity during PUVA therapy [letter]. Br J Dermatol.

1996;135(2):334.

 

Duke JA. Handbook of Phytochemical Constituents of GRAS Herbs and Other

Economic Plants. Boca Raton, Fla: CRC Press; 1992.

 

Ko FN, et al. Vasodilatory action mechanisms of apigenin isolated from

Apium graveolens in rat thoracic aorta. Biochim Biophys Acta. November

14; 1991;1115:69–74.

 

Lewis, DA, et al. The anti-inflammatory activity of celery Apium

graveolens L. Int J Crude Drug Res. 1985;23.

 

Miller L. Herbal medicinals: selected clinical considerations focusing

on known or potential drug-herb interactions. Arch Intern Med.

1988;158(20):2200–2211.

 

Mills SY. Dictionary of Modern Herbalism: A Comprehensive Guide to

Practical Herbal Therapy. Rochester, Vt: Healing Arts Press; 1988.

 

Singh A, Handa SS. Hepatoprotective activity of Apium graveolens and

Hygrophila auriculata against paracetamol and thioacetamide intoxication

in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 1995;49:119–126.

 

Steinmetz KA, Potter JD. Vegetables, fruit, and cancer. II. Mechanisms.

Cancer Causes Control. 1991;2:427–442. Abstract.

 

Teng CM, Lee LG, Ko SN, et al. Inhibition of platelet aggregation by

apigenin from Apium graveolens. Asia Pac J Pharmacol. 1985;3:85.

 

Tsi D, et al. Effects of aqueous celery (Apium graveolens) extract on

lipid parameters of rats fed a high fat diet. Planta Med. 1995;61:18–21.

 

 

Zheng GQ, et al. Chemoprevention of benzo[a]pyrene-induced forestomach

cancer in mice by natural phthalides from celery seed oil. Nutr Cancer.

1993;19:77–86.

 

Zheng GQ, Kenney PM, Zhang J, Lam LK. Chemoprevention of

benzo[a]pyrene-induced forestomach cancer in mice by natural phthalides

from celery seed oil. Nutr Cancer. 1993;19:77–86.

=====================================================================

 

Alternative_M- , " Maryann Call "

<wcall-@c...>; wrote:

 

I CAN'T FIND celery seed ex. at our local health food ---- which is 25 miles

away-----what on site herbal store do u

recommend? you are so informative on things it amazes

me keep it up dummies like me need the expertize

of someone like you

I appreciate you! We are all dummied down or a better word for it would

be deceived by " western medicine " ,... they are the ones who SHOULD be

educating us in these areas!

 

We are clueless because of their manipulation and deceit. Actually I

think the medical profession themselves are clueless as well...primarily

because they have repeated the lies so often that they actually believe

it themselves!

 

The important thing is that we educate ourselves so we

can pass these healing substances on to others. I believe in the POWER

of the INTERNET.

Here are several more sites which tell more about celery seed extract,

Mary Ann. Personally I would

recommend Natural Factors as the best. Dr. Murray prefers it over the

others and I'm noticing that iherb is quite reasonable, probably more so

than some of the others.

 

http://www.iherb.com/celeryseed.html

 

http://www.doctormurray.com/articles/pdfs/PADM4515CelerySeed.pdf

 

http://www.kalahari.net/CAM/product.asp?

toolbar=none & sku=27633254 & format=detail

 

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/substances_view/1,1525,10014,00.html

 

 

http://www.alternativedr.com/catalog/article_info.php?articles_id=796

 

 

 

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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