Apium graveolens

Scientific name: Apium graveolens L. var. dulce (Mill.) Pers.

Synonym: Celeri graveolens (L.) Britton.

Synonym 2: Apium vulgare Bubani

Botanical family: APIACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Guadeloupe:

céleri
sèlri

Other vernacular names

apio

Colombia:

apio

Guadeloupe:

celeri

Geographical distribution

Native to Eurasia, widely cultivated in various parts of the world.

Botanical description

Biennial or perennial herb with a strong smell, sparsely branched, glabrous, 30 cm to 1 m high. Longitudinally striated stem. Alternate leaves, 3 to 25 cm long, petioles with a sheathing base, composed of a few leaflets with a deeply lobed or dentate margin; the upper leaves are smaller than the lower ones and are short petiolate or subsessile. Umbels composed of 6 to 16 small almost sessile umbels or on short peduncles, less than 1.5 cm long. Small, radially symmetrical, hermaphrodite, white flowers; minute calyx, attached to the ovary with 5 free petals The fruit is almost circular, approximately 2 mm long, compressed laterally.

Voucher(s)

Boulogne, TH6, UAG

flu

fresh aerial parts, decoction, orally¹

The Apium graveolens leaf is a food of widespread human consumption.

For flu:
prepare a decoction with 30 grams of stems and leaves in 4 cups (1 litre) of water. Boil for 5 minutes in a covered vessel. Leave to cool, strain (filter) and drink 1 cup (250 millilitres) 3 times a day for 3 to 7 days¹.

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours, even if refrigerated.

According to the information available:

The use for flu is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys, the toxicity study and the scientific information published.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or the flu persists for more than 7 days, seek medical attention.

Not for use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children under
3 years of age.

TRAMIL Work¹⁰

The aqueous extract (decoction) of fresh aerial parts was administered orally, 1 ml/animal/day (3.0 ± 0.2 mg total solids/ml), for 5 consecutive days to 10 Swiss (CD-1) mice (5 males and 5 females of 20.2 ± 0.8 g). The control was carried out with distilled water (1 ml/animal/day) to another 10 mice of the same strain and characteristics, the animals were observed for 10 days. During the trial, no mortality occurred in any of the groups, nor were any signs of toxicity observed. The macroscopic autopsy showed no alterations in the internal organs.

The LD₅₀ of the hydroalcoholic extract (80%) of aerial parts via the intraperitoneal route in mice was 3587 mg/kg⁸.

Fresh external aerial parts caused dermatitis in 4% of exposed human adults^11-12.

The whole dried plant aqueous extract (83 mg/kg), administered orally to rats, had an anti-implantation effect and stimulated (2%) the isolated uterus^₁₃ .

No data are available to recommend their medicinal use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children.

The fresh aerial parts contain: acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, propionaldehyde, isovaleric acid, valeric acid, dodecanaldehyde, heptanaldehyde, hexanaldehyde, octanaldehyde, undecanaldehyde, benzyl benzoate, guaiacol, isobutyric acid, monoterpenes: carveol acetate, carvone, citronellal, citronellol acetate, geraniol butyrate, geraniol acetate, limonene, linalool acetate, myrcene, neral, nerol acetate, terpineol acetate, terpineol propionate^2, alkylidene phthalides and dihydrophthalides³ , flavonol: rutin⁴ , they also contain decyl acetate, 1-heptanol, 1-hexanol, isoamyl alcohol².

The aqueous extract from fresh leaves (4 mg/ml) showed antiviral activity on viruses in cell culture: Rinderpest virus (cattle plague)⁵ and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)⁶.

The supernatant of the aqueous extract obtained by high-speed centrifugation of fresh stems (400 mg/kg) orally in male rats, in a carrageenan-induced leg oedema model, showed a significant anti-inflammatory effect. The same was true of the same extract (100 mg/kg) administered orally to male mice in a histamine-induced ear inflammation model⁷.

The ethanolic extract (80%) from dried aerial parts (358.7 mg/kg) single dose, intraperitoneally in rats, in an inflammation model of carrageenan-induced leg-oedema, showed a significant anti-inflammatory effect⁸.

The ethanolic extract 50% of dried leaves, croton oil model applied topically on mouse ears, had anti-inflammatory activity (ID₅₀ = 730 μg/cm²), seven times less than indomethacin (ID₅₀ = 93 μg/cm²)⁹.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1 BOULOGNE I, 2008
Enquête TRAMIL à Terre-de-Haut, Les Saintes (Guadeloupe). TRAMIL-UAG.

2 GOLD HF, WILSON III CW, 1963
The volatile flavor substances of celery. J Food Sci 28:484-488.

3 GOLD HJ, WILSON III CW, 1963
Alkylidène phthalides and dihydrophthalides from Celery. J Org Chem 28:985-987.

4 LUKOVNIKOVA GA, 1965
Some biologically active compounds of vegetables. Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol 1:504507.

5 ALWANAH, JAWAD ALM, AL-BANA AS, ALI KF, 1988
Antiviral activity of some Iraqi indigenous plants. Int J Crude Drug Res 26(2):107-111.

6 KHAN M, JAIN DC, BHAKUNI RS, ZAIM M, THAKUR RS, 1991
Occurrence of some antiviral sterols in Artemisia annua. Plant Sci 75:161-165.

7 LEWIS DA, THARIB SM, VEITCH GBA, 1985
The anti-inflammatory activity of celery Apium graveolens L. (Fam. Umbelliferae). Int J Crude Drug Res 23(1):27-32.

8 AL-HINDAWI MK, AL-DEEN HIS, NABI MHA, ISMAIL MA, 1989
Anti-inflammatory activity of some Iraqi plants using intact rats. J Ethnopharmacol 26(2):163-168.

9 MENCHERINI T, CAU A, BIANCO BIANCO G, DELLA LOGGIA R, AQUINO RP, AUTORE G, 2007
An extract of Apium graveolens var. dulce leaves: structure of the major constituent, apiin, and its anti-inflammatory properties. J Pharmacy and Pharmacology 59:891–897.

10 GARCIA-GONZALEZ M, LIZANO-FALLAS V, BERROCAL-MORALES B, ZUÑIGACHAVEZ I, 2009
Toxicidad aguda dosis repetida, en ratones, del extracto acuoso de partes aéreas de Apium graveolens. Informe TRAMIL. PRONAPLAMED. Depto de Fisiología, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.

11 HENRY SA, CANTAB MD, CANTAB DP, 1933
Celery itch: dermatitis due to celery in vegetable canning. Brit J Dermatol 47:301-309.

12 HENRY SA, CANTAB DP, 1938
Further observation on dermatitis due to celery in vegetable canning. Brit J Dermatol 50:342.

13 DESTA B, 1994
Ethiopian traditional herbal drugs. part III: anti-fertility activity of 70 medicinal plants. J Ethnopharmacol 44(3):199-209.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

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Apium graveolens

Vernacular names

Guadeloupe:

Colombia:

Guadeloupe:

Geographical distribution

Botanical description

Voucher(s)

Pharmacopoeia

References

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