Benefits of Parsley

When were health benefits of Parsley found?

It was believed that the native place of Parsley is the Mediterranean area, where they grow naturally and considered as wild herb. Latter around 3rd century BC, this herb had cultivated in this area. Parsley also named as English parsley.  In 1548, people belong to Britain had started apparent cultivation of this herb and became common culinary and medicinal herb. [1]

In ancient time, Greek and Roman people had used Parsley for different superstitious beliefs. In the Hebrew celebration of Passover, Parsley was symbolizing spring and rebirth. [1]

In the middle age, European people first started to eat this as a spice and decoration of food preparation. Gradually this herb was introduced in South East Asia, South America, China, India, and Mexico for culinary purposes as it adds a unique flavor to the cuisines. [2]

In the traditional medicinal system, parsley is used as an abortifacient, carminative, emmenagogic, stomachic, nutritive agent. Apart from these, the whole plants have some specific folk medicinal uses: such as

• Hemorrhoids are treated with aerial part of the parsley
• Urethral inflammation can subside by using stem
• The root of Parsley is used as a remedy for kidney stones, memory booster and brain functioning improvement purposes.

Both dried and fresh leaves and stem and the dried seed of parsley are used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

What are the Phytochemicals present in Parsley?

Terpenes, phthalides, furanocoumarins, apiin are the phytochemicals present in parsley. [2] A wide variety of furanocoumarins, such as angelicin, bergapten, isoimperatorin, oxypeucedanin, psoralen, trioxalen, and xanthoxin are the principal phytochemicals present in Parsley.[3] Similarly certain specific flavonoids like apigenin, chrysoeriol and quercetin are also present in parsley. These flavonoid components responsible to provide anticancer, anti-aging action and effective to treat and prevent ischemic damage, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative ailments, and soreness. [2] Parsley containing phytochemicals also have potent antioxidant properties. Some of the antioxidant phytochemicals present in Parsley are flavonoid, myristicin, luteolin, phenolic compounds, tocopherol, coumarins, and essentials oils. Researchers also reported flavonol glycosides of quercetin, apiol, myristicin and luteolin are also adequately present in the herb. [3]

Apart from these phytochemicals, Parsley is rich sources of some nutritive substances such as beta-carotenoids, vitamin A, B, and C; minerals like zinc, iron, calcium and phosphorous; Omega 3 fatty acid contents like linolenic and palmitic acid.

What is the mode of action of health benefits of Parsley?

The variety of phytonutrients present in Parsley help to follow multiple modes of action to cure and prevent different diseases.

• The iron and vitamin C present in Parsley increase the Red blood cells formation and enhance the general well-being.
• Beta-carotene and vitamin A composition in parsley helps to fight against infection and uphold the cell membrane intact in every body tissue.
• Essential enzyme contents of parsley promote liver functioning, intestinal absorption, and storage, which improve overall digestion and elimination.
• Essential fatty acids, chlorophyll, vitamin A, C, and B12 enhance immunity.

An animal research study showed that Parsley had detoxification ability by active activating enzyme glutathione S transferase. Researchers concluded that disease preventive effect induces by parsley can be the resultant of its antioxidant property and /or activation glutathione S transferase enzyme activity.    [3]

What are the different forms of Parsley?

There are different forms of parsley used in traditional medicine to treat different ailments, which are as follows:

• Parsley root benefits: This acts as a diuretic and often useful to treat kidney patients and hypertensive patients.
• Benefits of Parsley seeds: these have a good antimicrobial property and often used as antiseptic, antispasmodic. This form of parsley is effective to treat amenorrhea, gastrointestinal disorders, inflammation, kidney stones, and halitosis.
• Benefits of Parsley Leaves:  This form of parsley is widely used as a vegetable and an often common ingredient in spicy diseases. Medicinal value of parsley leaves helps to treat hemorrhoids, gastrointestinal disorders, diuretic.
• Benefits of Parsley Juice: This form is effective to provide anti-neurotoxicity. The therapeutic benefit of parsley juice is to prevent memory loss in diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.

What are the benefits of parsley?

There are several health benefits of parsley due to its anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial and diuretic properties.

Parsley benefits for infections

Parsley has both antibacterial and antifungal activity against different disease-causing germs. Coumarins, the bioactive phytochemicals of parsley mainly impart this activity. A wide variety of disease-causing microbes like S. aureus, S. pyogenes, and E. coli are significantly dominated by parsley treatment.

Antioxidant property

The antioxidant property of Parsley is significant. Researchers found leaves, stem and the essential oil extracted from seeds effective to scavenging free radicals.

Parsley benefits for brain

The parsley seeds and leaves juice are effective to improve behavioral disorders, stress-induced oxidative damage in the brain. The therapeutic benefit of parsley is effective to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Parsley benefits for the stomach

Gastrointestinal benefits of parsley are obtained due to its anti-secretary property and cytoprotective effect. Both of these medicinal properties prevent peptic ulcer formation. This herb also induces absorption of sodium and water which leads to the laxative property. This herb is a useful remedy for dyspepsia. [4]

Immunomodulating property

Essential oil-rich parsley seeds suppress the immune response and humoral activity by inhibiting macrophages and splenocytes functioning. This helps to provide protection from an allergic reaction and autoimmune diseases like rheumatism.[4]

Genitourinary activity

Leaves and stems of parsley are an effective remedy to solve for menstrual problems. These herbs normalize the menstruation cycle. It also strengthens urinary bladder functioning. This herb acts as a galactofuge and prevents excessive milk production in lactating mothers. [4]

Parsley benefits for joints and muscles

Parsley blocks voltage-gated calcium channel and reduce muscle contraction. This helps to alleviate muscle cramps, arthritis, rheumatism, etc. [4]

Parsley leaves benefits heart and high blood pressure

Parsley leaves have muscarinic receptor blocking property which is effective to reduce blood pressure. This herb also prevents platelet aggregation and provide prevention from atherosclerosis disease. In addition, the cholesterol-lowering effect of parsley prevents the cardiac attack. [4]

Parsley benefits for kidney

One of the health benefits of Parsley is effective to improve kidney functioning. It has been found that this herb has diuretic properties. The leaves and stem of this herb is an effective remedy for kidney stone.

Parsley benefits for skin

Parsley leaf, seed, and root can treat different skin problems like eczema. [4]

Too much Parsley side efffects

Parsley is relatively side effect free when it is taken in a measured amount. But too much parsley can be bad for you. Excessive intake of this herb in large quantity may provide side effects in certain conditions such as, such as:

• Gout and kidney patients: This herb contains oxalate. There are different forms of kidney stone, one is oxalate containing stones. Excessive consumption of oxalate can be harmful to patients who have oxalate containing kidney stones. Similarly, excessive intake of this herb can be harmful to gout patients as it increases the oxalate crystals formation and related inflammation.
• Skin sensitivity reaction: People who have skin sensitivity reactions may have a problem in exposure to the sun after consumption of excessive parsley, as it can cause skin rashes in rare cases.

So, you have to consume parsley in moderation and eating too much parsley can be bad for you.

When should Parsley be avoided?

It is not recommended to take parsley during pregnancy and lactation. This herb can cause early uterine contraction and its negative consequences affect pregnancy. The galactofuge activity of herb can cause little secretion of breast milk in lactating mothers.

REFERENCES

• Christian Agyare et al. Petroselinum crispum: A review. Chapter· December 2017 with1,585 Re. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-809286-6.00025-X.
• Esther Lai‐Har Tang et al. Petroselinum crispum has antioxidant properties, protects against DNA damage and inhibits proliferation and migration of cancer cells . J Sci Food Agric. 2015 Oct; 95(13): 2763–2771.  
• Hazim J. Al-Daraji et al. Effect of utilization of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) in local Iraqi geese diets on blood biochemistry. Journal of American Science 2012; 8 (8). 
• Chauhan E S, Aishwarya J. Nutraceuticals Potential of Petroselinum Crispum: A Review. J Complement Med Alt Healthcare J 7(2): JCMAH.MS.ID.555707 (2018). 
• Atta Abbas Naqvi. Diuretic Effect Evaluation of Petroselinum Crispum (Parsley) in Hypertensive Patients (DEEP). U.S. National Library of Medicine. ClinicalTrial.gov.
• Meenakshi Nagdeve (2019). 23 Wonderful Parsley Health Benefits. Organic Facts.