Parsley / Carum petroselinum

The Basics

What is Parsley / Carum petroselinum?

Used for urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney stones, gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, constipation, jaundice, intestinal gas, indigestion, colic, diabetes, cough, asthma, and edema.

Brand names for Parsley / Carum petroselinum

Na

How Parsley / Carum petroselinum is classified

Complementary Therapies, Phytotherapy, Plants, Medicinal

Parsley / Carum petroselinum During Pregnancy

Parsley / Carum petroselinum pregnancy category

Category N/ANote that the FDA has deprecated the use of pregnancy categories, so for some medications, this information isn’t available. We still think it’s useful to list historical info, however, given what a common proxy this has been in the past.

What we know about taking Parsley / Carum petroselinum while pregnant

N/A

Taking Parsley / Carum petroselinum While Breastfeeding

What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Parsley / Carum petroselinum?

Parsley (Carum petroselinum) leaf, seed, and root contain the volatile oils apiol and myristicin, which is pharmacologically active, as well as flavonoids, beta-phellandrene; bergapten; and vitamins A and C. Warm compresses or poultices of parsley have been used to treat breast engorgement and mastalgia[1][2] Oral capsules containing sage and parsley capsules are said to decrease milk flow; however, no scientifically valid clinical trials support this use. Galactogogues should never replace evaluation and counseling on modifiable factors that affect milk production.[3] No data exist on the excretion of any components of parsley into breastmilk or on the safety and efficacy of parsley nursing mothers or infants. Parsley is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as a food by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Adverse reactions are primarily allergic, including cross reactions to other members of the Apiaceae family, such as carrot, celery, and fennel. The essential oil should not be used because of potential toxicity of its apiol and myristicin content. Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products.

Maternal / infant drug levels

Parsley (Carum petroselinum) leaf, seed, and root contain the volatile oils apiol and myristicin, which is pharmacologically active, as well as flavonoids, beta-phellandrene; bergapten; and vitamins A and C. Warm compresses or poultices of parsley have been used to treat breast engorgement and mastalgia[1][2] Oral capsules containing sage and parsley capsules are said to decrease milk flow; however, no scientifically valid clinical trials support this use. Galactogogues should never replace evaluation and counseling on modifiable factors that affect milk production.[3] No data exist on the excretion of any components of parsley into breastmilk or on the safety and efficacy of parsley nursing mothers or infants. Parsley is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as a food by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Adverse reactions are primarily allergic, including cross reactions to other members of the Apiaceae family, such as carrot, celery, and fennel. The essential oil should not be used because of potential toxicity of its apiol and myristicin content. Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products.

Possible effects of Parsley / Carum petroselinum on milk supply

Oral capsules containing sage and parsley capsules are said to decrease milk flow;[4][5][6] however, no scientifically valid clinical trials support this use.

One hundred fifty-eight mothers in Iran of who reported difficulty in breastfeeding were given either a proprietary mixture of herbs (Shirafza Drop) or a chlorophyll solution as a placebo. The herbal mixture contained the purported galactogogues fennel, anise, cumin, black seed, and parsley. Infant ages ranged between 0 and 6 months and they were exclusively breastfed. Weight gain of the infants was measured over time. No difference in infant weight gain was seen between the two groups of infants.[7] Blinding and randomization in this study is unclear.

Possible alternatives to Parsley / Carum petroselinum

None listed