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Wild carrot

The wild carrot is a plant whose parts growing above the ground, as well as an oil made from the seeds, are used to make medicine. One should not confuse the wild carrot (which has a white root that should not be eaten) with the common carrot (which has an orange root that is edible). Wild carrot is used for urinary tract problems including kidney stones, bladder problems, water retention and too much uric acid in the urine, as well as gout, a painful disease of the joints caused by too much uric acid. The oil of the seeds is used for severe diarrhea, dysentery, stomach upsets and flatulence. Women use it to relieve uterine pain and to induce the menstrual period. Other uses include the treatment of heart disease, cancer, kidney problems and worm infections. Wild carrot is also used as a nerve tonic and as an aphrodisiac to increase sexual arousal. In food, wild carrot is used as a flavoring agent in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, frozen desserts, baked goods, sweets, puddings, meat products, spices and soups.

In industrial production, the oil from the seeds is used as a fragrance in soaps, detergents, creams, lotions and perfumes.

How does the wild carrot work?

Wild carrot contains chemicals that may have effects on blood vessels, muscles and the heart. However, it is not known how wild carrot might work when used medicinally.

How effective is wild carrot?

There is not enough scientific data to say how effective wild carrot is for kidney stones and other kidney problems, bladder problems, gout, diarrhea, upset stomach, flatulence, worm infections, uterine pain, heart disease, cancer and water retention, or for use as a nerve tonic or aphrodisiac or to induce menstruation.

Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of wild carrot in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Wild carrot seed oil appears to be safe and harmless for most adults when taken orally in the quantities commonly used as medicine. However, there is not enough information on whether it is safe to use the parts of the wild carrot that grow above ground. High doses of the oil from wild carrot seeds can cause kidney damage and nerve problems. Wild carrot can cause skin rashes and increase the risk of sunburn.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: It is not safe to use wild carrot during pregnancy. The seeds, oil and parts of the plant that grow above ground can cause uterine contractions and induce menstruation. Both could lead to a miscarriage.

It is also a good idea to avoid wild carrot while breastfeeding. The oil from the seeds can act like the hormone oestrogen. Using the seeds and parts of the plant that grow above ground is risky, as it is not possible to say for sure how safe they are to use while breastfeeding.

Allergies to celery and related plants: Wild carrot could cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to birch, mugwort, celery and related plants.

Kidney problems: Wild carrot could aggravate kidney problems as it irritates the kidneys.

Surgeries: Wild carrot could affect blood pressure. Some doctors are concerned that it could affect blood pressure control during and after surgery. For this reason, the use of wild carrot should be stopped at least 2 weeks before planned operations.

UV light treatments: Wild carrot can increase the risk of sunburn. For this reason, wild carrot should not be used when being treated with UV light.

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining wild carrot with the following medications:

Estrogen preparations

Large amounts of wild carrot may have a similar effect to oestrogen in some areas, although the effect is not as strong as with oestrogen preparations. Taking wild carrot in combination with oestrogen preparations could reduce the effectiveness of these preparations.

Lithium

Wild carrot could have a dehydrating (diuretic) effect. Taking wild carrot may interfere with the body's excretion of lithium, which could result in increased lithium levels and serious side effects. For this reason, it is important to consult your doctor before using wild carrot if you are taking lithium. The lithium dosage may need to be adjusted.

Medications that increase sensitivity to sunlight

Some medications can increase sensitivity to sunlight. Wild carrot can also increase sensitivity to sunlight. Taking wild carrot in conjunction with medications that may increase sensitivity to sunlight could increase the risk of sunburn, blistering of the skin or rashes on areas of skin exposed to the sun. For this reason, you should use a sunblock and wear protective clothing when spending time in the sun.

Medication for high blood pressure

Large amounts of wild carrot appear to increase blood pressure. By increasing blood pressure, wild carrot may reduce the effectiveness of high blood pressure medication.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage for wild carrot depends on various factors such as age, health status and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to determine appropriate dosage ranges for wild carrot. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Bauer L, Ebner C, Hirschwehr R, et al. IgE cross-reactivity between birch pollen, mugwort pollen, and celery is due to three distinct cross-reacting allergens: immunoblot investigation of the birch-mugwort-celery syndrome. Clin Exp Allergy 1996;26:1161-70. view abstract.
  2. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid= 786bafc6f6343634fbf79fcdca7061e1&rgn=div5&view= text&node=21:3.0.1.1.13&idno=21
  3. Majumder PK, Dasgupta S, Mukhopadhaya RK, et al. Anti-steroidogenic activity of the petroleum ether extract and fraction 5 (fatty acids) of carrot (Daucus carota L.) seeds in mouse ovary. J Ethnopharmacol 1997;57:209-12. view abstract.