Daucus carota – Natural Compounds

Plant Name	Daucus carota L.
Botanical Info	Biennial plant, usually growing up to 1 m tall
Geography	Native to temperate regions of Europe, southwest Asia and naturalised to northeast North America and Australia. Cultivated and waste land, amongst grass, especially by the sea and on chalk.
Chemical Content	In all parts of the plant contains a volatile oil, which gives them a peculiar odor. In fruits of wild carrot is of 7,5% essential oils, which included geranilatsetat (60%) and geraniol (12-14%). Essential oil contains also a phenylpropene-myristicin . In the roots of the red-and yellow varieties contains carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic and ascorbic acids, sugars (4,5-15%), flavonoids, fatty and essential oils, umbelliferone, calcium, phosphorus, iron and trace elements – cobalt, copper, boron, iodine, etc. The seeds of sown carrots contain up to 1.6% essential oils, which are components of the α-and β-pinene, limonene, geraniol, citral, karotol, asarone and others, fatty oil, including glycerides of petrozelinic , palmitic, oleic.
Traditional Use and Activity	The wild carrot is an aromatic herb that acts as a diuretic, soothes the digestive tract and stimulates the uterus. A wonderfully cleansing medicine, it supports the liver, stimulates the flow of urine and the removal of waste by the kidneys. The whole plant is anthelmintic, carminative, deobstruent, diuretic, galactogogue, ophthalmic, stimulant. An infusion is used in the treatment of various complaints including digestive disorders, kidney and bladder diseases and in the treatment of dropsy. An infusion of the leaves has been used to counter cystitis and kidney stone formation, and to diminish stones that have already formed. Carrot leaves contain significant amounts of porphyrins, which stimulate the pituitary gland and lead to the release of increased levels of sex hormones. The seeds are diuretic, carminative, emmenagogue and anthelmintic. An infusion is used in the treatment of oedema, flatulent indigestion and menstrual problems. As with all herbal remedies and wild food gathering, extra caution should be used, especially since the wild carrot bears close resemblance to a dangerous species, poison hemlock. The leaves of the wild carrot can cause phytophotodermatitis, so caution should also be used when handling the plant. Some authors have hypothesized that myristicin can be readily modified in the body to amphetamines, which can induce hallucinogenic effects.