Carrot Seeds
Botanical Description & Habitat
Daucus carota
Family
Umbelliferae
Common Names
Queen Anne's lace
Bee's nest plant
Bird's nest
Habitat
Introduced to America from England.
Roadsides, dry grasslands, widely cultivated.
Medicinal Parts
Roots (cultivated)
Seed (wild) wild carrot does not have swollen roots.
The seed yields an oil which is used medicinally.
Historical Properties & Uses
When speaking of the seeds, in the wild state, it is called Queen Anne's lace; cultivated, it is called the common carrot.
Carrots, eaten regularly are used nutritionally to strengthen the eyes and for their content of vitamins, minerals, sugars and fiber. Used medicinally, they are carminative in nature, and are used to prevent putrefaction of the gastrointestinal tract. The roots are also sometimes used to expel worms.
It is thought that 2 to 3 raw carrots per day for several days will expel roundworms and threadworms. In Germany, the child is given nothing but grated carrot for 1-2 days, as much as he or she can stand. Carrots are also used to help clear up skin rashes, sores and the like.
Queen Anne's lace, i.e., the seed, is a good source of oils used as a carminative to reduce flatulence, as a diuretic in dropsy and urine retention, and to promote menstruation.
Recent pharmacological studies indicate a potential usefulness as a cardiovascular and hepatoprotective agent. This requires further verification and human clinical trials.
It depresses cardiac activity in animal studies.
It is used commercially as a fragrance and flavor.
Method of Action
Carrot Root has Nutritive and Diuretic Benefits
The plant root does contain many vitamins, including C, B1, B2 and provitamin A (carotene, beta-carotene). It also contains sugars and pectin, and these nicely account for all of the medicinal applications of the root. Carrot's diuretic and uric acid eliminating properties make it a good food choice for people prone to gout. The retinoids and fiber are both indicated in the prevention of cancer, as it the beta-sitosterol contained in the seed.
The Pharmacology of Carrot Seed
Dealing with the applications of the seed is not so easy. There does not exist a body of research literature on carrot seed. The seed is an official preparation in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia which recognizes the use of Queen Anne's lace seed as diuretic, antilithic and carminative, for use in the treatment of urinary calculus, lithuria, cystitis and gout. Responsibility for these actions is assigned to volatile oils and the alkaloid daucine.
There is some justification for using the whole aerial part of Queen Anne's lace, not just the seed, as an emmenagogue. The leaves contain large amount of porphyrins that stimulate the pituitary gland to release gonadotropic hormones.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
Known Interactions
Carrot seed, insofar as its diuretic action increases the renal excretion of sodium and chloride, may potentiate the hyperglycemic and hyperuremic effects of glucose elevating agents.
Diuretics may potentiate the action of antihypertensive, ganglionic or peripheral adrenergic blocking drugs, tubocurarine and norepinephrine.
The effects of dopamine and diuretic agents are additive.
Possible Interactions
In conjunction with ACTH or corticosteroids, this diuretic is more prone to produce hypokalemia.
Use of diuretics may require dosage adjustments of antidiabetic drugs. The diuretic action of this herb may reduce renal clearance of lithium.
An initial dose of captopril (an antihypertensive) may cause a severe drop in blood pressure within three hours if the person is also using a strong diuretic.
Comments
Prolonged use of this diuretic may affect certain lab test results such as electrolytes (especially potassium and sodium), uric acid, glucose, and pbi.
Strong diuretics such as this in conjunction with indomethacin may produce natriuretic effects.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
Neither root nor seed is thought to possess any toxicity.
Some individuals have shown sensitivity when handling the leaves excessively, especially after exposure to sunlight.
Because myristicin occurs in carrot seed it has been proposed that there may be neurological effects.
Preparation & Administration
Use three times daily
Infusion
Use 2-4g of dried herb
Liquid Extract
Use 2-4ml of 1:1 in 25% alcohol
References
Bishayee, A et al., Hepatoprotective activity of carrot (Daucus carota) against carbon tetrachloride intoxication in mouse liver. J. Ethnopharm. 1995, 47(2):69.
British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, British Herbal Medicine Association, 1983.
Braun, H. & Frohne, D. Heilplanzen-Lexikon Fuer Aerzte und Apotheker. Gustav Fisher Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, 1987.
Duke, J.A. CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Florida, 1985.
El Moghazi, AM et al., Flavonoids of Daucus carota. Planta med. 1980, 40:382.
Gilani, AH et al., Cardiovascular actions of Daucus carota. Arch. Pharmacal Res. 1994, 17(3):150.
Gupta, KR & Niranjan, GS: New flavone glycoside from seeds of Daucus carota. Planta Med. 1982, 46:240.
Hemingson, JC & Collins, RP: Anthrocyanins present in cell cultures of Daucus carota. J. Nat. Prod. 1982, 45:385.
The Lawrence Review of Natural Products. Jun, 1996.
Mowrey, Daniel B., Ph.D. Exper. Psych., Brigham Young University. Director of Nebo Institute of Herbal Sciences. Director of Behavior Change Agent Training Institute. Director of Research, Nova Corp.
Schauenberg, P. & F. Paris. Guide to Medicinal Plants, Keats Publishing, Inc., New Canaan, Connecticut, 1977.
Stark, D et al., Phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity and biosynthesis of anthocyanins and chlorogenic acid in tissue cultures of Daucus carota. Planta Med. 1976, 30:104.
Weiss, R.F. Herbal Medicine. Beaconsfield Publishers, LTD, Beaconsfield, England, 1988.
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