Gout, “the disease of kings,” is certainly a royal pain. Like all forms of arthritis and inflammation of the legs and feet, it can be crippling. If you’re looking at a lifetime of popping pills to stave off agony, celery seed extract may be an option for you. But use caution: Even author James A. Duke, who considers celery seed one of his “essential herbs,” recommends against substituting the herb for your prescribed medications without consulting your doctor.
Historic Uses
Celery seed, along with the rest of the edible celery plant, has a long history of medicinal use. In fact, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension article, it was originally cultivated for healing rather than for eating. A Purdue Horticulture fact sheet reports that it was used to treat rheumatism, a disorder of the joints. In a similar vein, the University of Maryland Medical Center states that Ayurvedic medicine used celery seeds to treat various types of arthritis.
Modern Use
Today, practitioners of complementary medicine continue to use celery seed in treating inflammation and arthritis, especially the specific form known as gout. The University of Maryland Medical Center cautions that there are no scientific studies in humans supporting the use of celery seed in treating these conditions.
Treating Gout
According to the Medical College of Wisconsin Division of Nephrology website, gout flare-ups happen due to a build-up of the waste product uric acid. This build-up leads to painful crystalline deposits in the joints. According to the book “Dr. Duke’s Essential Herbs,” drugs that treat gout, such as allopurinol, work by reducing the bloodstream’s uric acid levels. Duke suggests that celery seed may function in the same way. He suggests taking two to four 500 mg capsules of celery seed extract for relieving flare-ups. He reports having experienced no adverse side-effects, but urges common-sense caution against taking excessive amounts of celery seed extract.
Treating Inflammation
According to The People’s Pharmacy website, “[a]n animal model of arthritis and gout suggests that a combination of celery seed and New Zealand green-lipped mussel extract, Lyprinol, eases inflammation.”
