Celery Juice Bioactive Compounds — What Is Actually in the Glass

Table of Contents

1. Flavonoids Overview (Apigenin and Luteolin)
2. Apigenin in Detail
3. Luteolin in Detail
4. Phthalides (3-n-Butylphthalide, Sedanenolide)
5. Polyacetylenes (Falcarinol, Falcarindiol)
6. Dietary Nitrates
7. Electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium)
8. Vitamins and Trace Minerals
9. What Is Lost in Juicing (Fiber)
10. Key Research Papers
11. Connections
12. Featured Videos

Flavonoids Overview (Apigenin and Luteolin)

Celery is among the richest dietary sources of two specific flavone-class flavonoids: apigenin and luteolin. Both occur primarily as glycosides (sugar-conjugated forms): apigenin is most commonly present as apiin (apigenin-7-O-apiosylglucoside, named after celery itself: Apium), and luteolin is most commonly present as luteolin-7-O-glucoside. The juicing process releases these compounds from the cell matrix into the liquid phase, though some are lost in the discarded pulp.

Quantitative estimates from the food-composition table in the Hostetler 2017 review (values for fresh celery, per 100 g; the amount in a glass of juice depends on how much celery is pressed and how much is lost with the pulp):

• Apigenin: about 1.3 to 10.8 mg per 100 g of celery stalks, and about 19.1 mg per 100 g of celery hearts
• Luteolin: under 1.2 to 2.2 mg per 100 g of celery stalks, and about 3.5 mg per 100 g of celery hearts

For context, most clinical trials of apigenin or luteolin as isolated compounds have used doses in the 50-200 mg range. Other Apiaceae-family foods contribute too, and parsley is even richer in apigenin per gram.

Back to Table of Contents

Apigenin in Detail

Apigenin (4',5,7-trihydroxyflavone) is one of the most-studied dietary flavonoids in the past two decades. Documented mechanisms in peer-reviewed pharmacology:

• NF-kB pathway inhibition. Apigenin suppresses nuclear translocation of NF-kB (the master transcription factor for pro-inflammatory cytokine production), reducing downstream interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1-beta, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. This is the proposed mechanism behind its anti-inflammatory activity in animal models and cell culture.
• Mast cell stabilization. Apigenin reduces immunoglobulin E-mediated histamine release from mast cells, with proposed clinical relevance to allergic rhinitis and atopic conditions. The effect is comparable to cromolyn in in vitro comparisons.
• Mild estrogen receptor modulation. Apigenin is a weak phytoestrogen with documented binding to ER-beta. Whether dietary doses produce systemic estrogenic effects in humans is uncertain, but the affinity is real.
• Monoamine oxidase inhibition. Apigenin weakly inhibits MAO-A and MAO-B at micromolar concentrations. This is proposed to contribute to a mild mood-elevating effect at high doses.
• Cell-cycle and apoptosis effects in cancer cell lines. Apigenin induces G2/M cell-cycle arrest and intrinsic apoptosis in many human cancer cell lines in vitro. This is repeatedly observed but has not translated to demonstrated cancer prevention or treatment efficacy in human dietary epidemiology.
• Anxiolytic effect at the gamma-aminobutyric acid-A benzodiazepine site. Apigenin is a partial agonist at the gamma-aminobutyric acid-A benzodiazepine binding site, with documented anxiolytic effect in rodent models. This is proposed as one mechanism behind the calming reputation of celery and parsley in traditional herbal medicine.

The systemic bioavailability of apigenin from dietary sources is modest but not negligible — plasma concentrations after a celery-rich meal reach approximately 0.1-0.3 µM, which is below the concentrations used in most cell-culture experiments but within the range where mast cell stabilization and mild NF-kB modulation may be measurable.

The dedicated Apigenin page covers the compound's pharmacology in more depth.

Back to Table of Contents

Luteolin in Detail

Luteolin (3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone) is the close structural cousin of apigenin, differing only by an additional hydroxyl group on the B-ring. The extra hydroxyl substantially increases antioxidant potency, in some assays making luteolin a stronger radical scavenger than vitamin E.

Documented luteolin effects:

• Microglial deactivation. Luteolin crosses the blood-brain barrier and suppresses activated microglia (the brain's resident inflammatory cells). This is the basis for the substantial research interest in luteolin as a candidate intervention for neuroinflammatory conditions including autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, and post-COVID neurological symptoms.
• Anti-inflammatory effect comparable to apigenin. NF-kB inhibition, reduced interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, cyclooxygenase-2 modulation — same general flavonoid mechanism.
• Histamine reduction via mast cell stabilization. Documented in atopic dermatitis and chronic urticaria models, with luteolin slightly more potent than apigenin in head-to-head comparisons.
• Endothelial protection and mild vasodilation. Luteolin upregulates endothelial nitric oxide synthase and reduces oxidative damage to vascular endothelium.
• Insulin sensitization in animal models. Reduced fasting glucose and improved glucose tolerance in high-fat-diet rodent models. Human evidence is limited.

Bioavailability of luteolin from dietary celery is in the same range as apigenin — plasma concentrations reach low-micromolar after a large dose. The dedicated Luteolin page has more detail.

Back to Table of Contents

Phthalides (3-n-Butylphthalide, Sedanenolide)

Phthalides are a class of aromatic lactones largely responsible for celery's characteristic odor. The most studied is 3-n-butylphthalide (NBP), sometimes also called butylphthalide or 3-BP. Other related phthalides in celery include sedanenolide, sedanolide, and ligustilide (the last is more abundant in Dong Quai but also present in celery).

3-n-Butylphthalide is sufficiently pharmacologically active that a synthetic racemic version (dl-3-n-butylphthalide, dl-NBP) was approved by China's drug regulator for the treatment of ischemic stroke in 2002, according to a 2018 review. Documented mechanisms include:

• Calcium-channel modulation in vascular smooth muscle — the proposed mechanism for celery's mild blood pressure reduction
• Mitochondrial protection and reduced apoptosis in ischemic neurons
• Antiplatelet activity (relevant to both the cardiovascular benefit signal and the warning that high-dose celery juice may interact with antiplatelet drugs)
• Improvement of cerebral microcirculation in stroke models
• Mild GABAergic activity contributing to celery's sedative reputation

Dietary NBP exposure from 16 oz celery juice is approximately 3-15 mg depending on celery variety and growing conditions — well below the therapeutic NBP-drug dose of 600 mg/day used in Chinese stroke trials, but not negligible.

The phthalide content is the most plausible single explanation for celery's documented mild blood pressure effect in human studies. See the Celery Juice for Blood Pressure article for the clinical evidence.

Back to Table of Contents

Polyacetylenes (Falcarinol, Falcarindiol)

The Apiaceae family (celery, carrot, parsley, parsnip, fennel) produces a distinctive group of polyacetylene compounds — chemically unusual molecules with multiple triple bonds. The two most-studied are falcarinol and falcarindiol. Both occur in celery, though carrot is the richer dietary source.

Polyacetylene effects:

• Selective toxicity to several human cancer cell lines (colon, breast, leukemia) in cell culture at micromolar concentrations
• Mild anti-inflammatory effect through PPAR-gamma agonism
• Antimicrobial effect against several common pathogens at high concentrations

The polyacetylene content of celery is lower than carrot and is partly bound to the cellulose matrix, so juicing may not extract all of it. Bioavailability data are limited.

Back to Table of Contents

Dietary Nitrates

Celery is a moderate dietary nitrate source. A 16 oz juice provides approximately 100-250 mg of inorganic nitrate (NO3-), depending on soil conditions and farming practices. For comparison, beetroot juice typically delivers 300-600 mg nitrate per equivalent serving and arugula can exceed 1000 mg/100 g.

The dietary nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway is one of the better-established mechanisms in vegetable-based cardiovascular benefit:

1. Dietary nitrate is absorbed in the small intestine and concentrated in saliva
2. Oral commensal bacteria (especially on the dorsum of the tongue) reduce nitrate to nitrite
3. Swallowed nitrite is further reduced in the acidic stomach and via various mammalian enzymes to nitric oxide (NO) and other reactive nitrogen species
4. Systemic NO produces vasodilation, reduces blood pressure, improves endothelial function, and improves muscle oxygen economy during exercise

This is one mechanism behind celery juice's mild blood pressure effect, alongside the phthalide content. It also explains why post-mouthwash use abolishes most of the cardiovascular nitrate benefit from any vegetable source — antibacterial mouthwash kills the oral bacteria that perform step 2.

One curiosity: some bottled, commercial pasteurized celery juice products use nitrate-rich celery powder explicitly as a "natural" sodium nitrite replacement in cured meats (this is why "uncured" bacon labeled "no nitrites or nitrates added" often contains the qualifier "except those naturally occurring in celery powder"). The dietary nitrate exposure from this culinary use is generally lower than the direct juice consumption.

Back to Table of Contents

Electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium)

Celery is unusually sodium-rich for a vegetable. The USDA FoodData Central record for celery juice (FDC ID 2709811, which is modelled on raw celery) lists, per cup (8 oz, 236 g; a 16 oz glass is two cups):

• Sodium: 229 mg (97 mg per 100 g); the FDA Daily Value for sodium is 2,300 mg
• Potassium: 625 mg (265 mg per 100 g); the FDA Daily Value for potassium is 4,700 mg

Potassium well above sodium (265 mg versus 97 mg per 100 g) is a balance favorable for cardiovascular health — epidemiologic evidence consistently shows that a higher dietary K:Na ratio is associated with lower blood pressure and lower cardiovascular event rates. This is the same logic behind the DASH diet's emphasis on potassium-rich vegetables and fruits.

For most adults the sodium load from celery juice is unremarkable in the context of a normal diet. For people on sodium-restricted diets for advanced heart failure or end-stage renal disease, 16 oz a day is a non-trivial sodium contribution that counts toward their total intake.

For people on lithium, substantial changes in dietary sodium intake matter. Lithium clearance by the kidney is partly dependent on sodium handling, and sustained increases or decreases in sodium intake can shift serum lithium levels into the toxic range. That makes a large new dietary change a known concern for people on chronic lithium, and a question for their psychiatrist or pharmacist.

Back to Table of Contents

Vitamins and Trace Minerals

The micronutrient content per cup (236 g) in the same USDA celery juice record:

• Vitamin K (phylloquinone): 69 µg (29.3 µg per 100 g; the FDA Daily Value is 120 µg). This is the single most consequential micronutrient figure for drug interaction purposes — for people on warfarin, a consistent Vitamin K intake is what keeps the drug's effect stable, and adding or stopping daily celery juice constitutes a meaningful change.
• Vitamin C: 7.3 mg (3.1 mg per 100 g; modest; juice loses vitamin C to oxidation during pressing and storage)
• Folate: 85 µg (36 µg per 100 g)
• Vitamin A (as beta-carotene): 52 µg retinol activity equivalents (22 µg per 100 g), varying with celery variety
• Calcium: 109 mg (46 mg per 100 g)
• Magnesium: 26 mg (11 mg per 100 g)
• Phosphorus: 52 mg (22 mg per 100 g)
• Iron: listed as 0 mg in this record; the iron in vegetables is non-heme and poorly absorbed
• Manganese, copper, zinc: trace amounts

None of these are particularly high in isolation. The case for celery juice on a micronutrient basis is weak compared with, say, leafy greens or organ meats. The vegetable's nutritional interest is in its phytochemistry (flavonoids, phthalides, polyacetylenes, nitrates) rather than its micronutrient density.

Back to Table of Contents

What Is Lost in Juicing (Fiber)

The most important nutritional caveat is that juicing eliminates virtually all of the insoluble fiber from the vegetable. The discarded pulp contains cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and some pectin — the bulk of celery's ~1.6 g fiber per 100 g.

Loss of fiber has several consequences:

• Reduced gut microbiome substrate. Soluble fiber feeds beneficial gut bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (butyrate, propionate, acetate) with documented systemic benefit. Juice retains less of this prebiotic capacity than whole vegetable.
• Reduced satiety. Fiber slows gastric emptying and contributes to fullness. Juice is absorbed faster and produces less satiety per calorie.
• Reduced cholesterol-lowering effect. Soluble fiber binds bile acids and modestly lowers low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Juice loses much of this effect.
• Faster absorption of any sugars present. Less relevant for celery (very low sugar) but the general principle applies.
• Loss of phytochemicals bound to the fiber matrix. Some flavonoids and polyacetylenes are partly bound to cell-wall material and are discarded with the pulp.

The juice retains the soluble, free-form bioactive compounds (free apigenin and luteolin, dissolved phthalides, nitrates, electrolytes, Vitamin C, dissolved sugars) but loses the insoluble matrix that contributes much of the whole vegetable's long-term health value.

For users who want both the juice's rapid bioactive delivery and the whole vegetable's fiber benefit, the usual alternative is a high-powered blender (which keeps the fiber) rather than a juicer (which discards it). The blended product is a "smoothie" rather than a "juice" but provides closer to whole-vegetable nutrition with similar bioactive content.

Back to Table of Contents

Key Research Papers

1. Hostetler GL et al. (2017). Flavones: Food sources, bioavailability, metabolism, and bioactivity. Advances in Nutrition. — PubMed PMID: 28507008
2. Salehi B et al. (2019). The therapeutic potential of apigenin. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. — PubMed PMID: 30875872
3. López-Lázaro M (2009). Distribution and biological activities of the flavonoid luteolin. Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry. — PubMed PMID: 19149659
4. Lin Y et al. (2008). Luteolin, a flavonoid with potential for cancer prevention and therapy. Current Cancer Drug Targets. — PubMed PMID: 18991571
5. Peng Y et al. (2010). l-3-n-Butylphthalide improves cognitive impairment and reduces amyloid-beta in a transgenic model of Alzheimer's. Journal of Neuroscience. — PubMed PMID: 20554868
6. Wang S et al. (2018). Dl-3-n-Butylphthalide (NBP): A Promising Therapeutic Agent for Ischemic Stroke. CNS & Neurological Disorders Drug Targets. — PubMed PMID: 29895257
7. Christensen LP (2011). Aliphatic C17-polyacetylenes of the falcarinol type as potential health-promoting compounds in food. Recent Patents on Food, Nutrition & Agriculture. — PubMed PMID: 21114468
8. Lundberg JO et al. (2008). The nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway in physiology and therapeutics. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. — PubMed PMID: 18167491
9. Aviello G et al. (2009). Garlic: empiricism or science? Natural Product Communications (comparative dietary phytochemical context). — PubMed
10. Slavin JL, Lloyd B (2012). Health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Advances in Nutrition. — PubMed PMID: 22797986

PubMed Topic Searches

1. PubMed: Celery phytochemistry
2. PubMed: Apigenin and luteolin in celery
3. PubMed: 3-n-Butylphthalide and celery phthalides
4. PubMed: Dietary nitrate from vegetables
5. PubMed: Celery polyacetylenes

Back to Table of Contents

Connections

• All Remedies
• Celery Juice Benefits Hub
• Anthony William Origin Story
• Claimed Detox Benefits
• Evidence and Skepticism
• Celery Juice (Hub)
• Celery Juice and Blood Pressure
• Celery (Whole Food)
• Luteolin
• Apigenin
• Polyphenols
• Potassium
• Vitamin K
• Beets (Dietary Nitrate)
• Parsley (Apiaceae)
• Hypertension
• Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis) — the Apiaceae root richest in ligustilide, the celery phthalide discussed above

Back to Table of Contents

×

Featured Videos