| Herbs & Supplements:

Parsley

Supplement Forms/Alternate Names:
  • Petroselinum crispum; Petroselinum

 

---

Introduction

Parsley is a green herb commonly used in cooking. The leaves and seeds have been used to ease urine flow. It can be taken as a pill, powder, or extract. Parsley can also be put on the skin as a cream to improve discoloration. It can also be made into a tea.

Dosages

There aren’t any advised doses for parsley.

 

---

What Research Shows

May Be Effective

• Hyperpigmentation—may improve discoloration when applied as a cream ^A1 

Editorial process and description of evidence categories can be found at EBSCO NAT Editorial Process.

 

---

Safety Notes

It is likely safe to use parsley on the skin and to take orally in small doses for a short time. Consuming large amounts of parsley may not be safe.^{B2, B3}  Not enough studies have been done to say whether it is safe to use for a long period. It is not known whether parsley is safe to take by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Interactions

Talk to your doctor about any supplements or therapy you would like to use. Some can interfere with treatment or make conditions worse, such as:

• People with birch or mugwort allergies should talk to their doctor before taking parsley. It may cause a reaction.
• People taking blood thinners should talk to their doctors before taking parsley. It may interact with their medicine.^B1 

---

References [ + ]

A. Hyperpigmentation

A1. Khosravan S, Alami A, et al. The effect of topical use of petroselinum crispum (parsley) versus that of hydroquinone cream on reduction of epidermal melasma: a randomized clinical trial. Holist Nurs Pract. 2017;31(1):16-20.

B. Safety

B1. Heck AM, DeWitt BA, et al. Potential interactions between alternative therapies and warfarin. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2000 Jul 1;57(13):1221-1227.

B2. Foti C, Cassano N, et al. Contact urticaria to raw arugula and parsley. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2011 May;106(5):447-448. B3.

B3. Arslan S, Ucar R, et al. A Cases of Near-fatal Anaphylaxis: Parsley "Over-use" as an Herbal Remedy. Med Arch. 2014 Dec;68(6):426-427.

---

Last reviewed February 2020 by EBSCO NAT Review Board Eric Hurwitz, DC
Last Updated: 6/17/2020

Back to Top