Common beetle. Medicinal properties of watercress

Watercress is a plant of the cabbage family with a spicy taste, which also includes broccoli. Consumption of watercress can help protect against carcinogens and chemotherapy drugs.

Zherukha officinalis is a vegetable from the cabbage family. It has a spicy taste and belongs to the family of broccoli, cauliflower and arugula. The use of watercress is associated with various anti-carcinogenic effects.

Eating watercress can also stimulate antioxidant enzymes that reduce DNA damage. Watercress is also an optimal source of lutein.

Watercress and other members of the cabbage family contain substances called isothiocyanates. Isothiocyanates include sulforaphane, diindolylmethane, and phenylisothiocyanates (FITC). Compared to other plants of the cabbage family, watercress contains a higher amount of FITC. These substances help the body protect against various substances, including carcinogens. This is minimal human evidence to support these claims, but two human studies have found a degree of reduction in DNA damage in individuals without medical conditions following the addition of watercress to the diet.

Also known as: Nasturtium officinalis.

Not to be confused with nasturtium seeds (Nasturtium major)

Is a food product

Watercress (Zherukha officinalis): instructions for use

A dosage of 85-100 g of watercress per day (dry weight of the plant) correlates with the overall apparent benefit. Additional research is needed to determine the optimal dosage and schedule.

Sources and composition

Sources

Watercress is the most common name for the herb Nasturtium officinalis (of the Brassicaceae family), which is a widely consumed vegetable with a pungent taste. It is one of the many herbs used for scurvy due to its vitamin C content. Because it belongs to the Brassica family, it is known as a cruciferous vegetable (like broccoli and cauliflower). The watercress should not be confused with the seeds of nasturtium, which, despite the name of the genus, belong to the plant Nasturtium major (the widely used name is garden nasturtium). A vegetable in the same family as broccoli, it is widely used as a vegetable (usually in salads due to its leaf structure) with many similar properties and pungent flavor.

Compound

Zherukha officinalis usually contains:

In addition, it was discovered that S-(N-β-phenylthiocarbamyl)glutathione is formed spontaneously during metabolism from other glucosinates in watercress and does not occur in nature. The concentration in this individual study was only 12.5 nmol and less than 1% of the total hydrolyzed β-phenyl-glucosinolate (minor metabolite). It may be formed from phenylisothiocyanate, as this study noted that phenylisothiocyanate was not detected in the extracts tested. In general, watercress has similar biological effects to other plants in its family (Brassaceae), although due to its gluconasturtin content it contains relatively high levels of an isothiocyanate known as phenylisothiocyanate. Essential oil (volatile substance) includes:

myristicin (57.6% in leaves, not detected in stems and flowers);

α-terpinolene (8.9% in leaves, 15.2 and 19.7% in stems and flowers);

β-caryophyllene (13.1% in stems, 6.6% in flowers, 4.3% in leaves);

caryophyllene oxide (37.2% in stems, 6.7% in flowers, 4.2% in leaves);

p-cymen-8-ol (17.6% in stems, 7.6% in flowers, 3.1% in leaves);

neophytodiene (1.6% in stems, 1.5% in flowers, 0.8% in leaves).

The essential oil is a surprisingly optimal source (in percentage terms) of myristicin, the hallucinogenic compound in nutmeg; however, the amount is not sufficient to cause hallucinations. By weight, the essential oil is approximately 1.5% (stems), 1.2% (leaves) and 1.0% (flowers), and in its isolated form the essential oil contains no polyphenols or flavonoids. Watercress extract (aqueous/alcoholic 80:20) has a polyphenol content of 96.6+/-3.5 mg/g as gallic acid equivalent (9.6%) and a total flavonoid content of 62.3+/-2.4 mg/g as catechin equivalent (6.2%; 64% phenols). Watercress is considered one of the most common sources of lutein (besides parsley and spinach), although the most common food source is tomatoes; β-carotene content is also higher in watercress than in most vegetables tested, with the exception of carrots. When comparing polyphenol content compared to other leafy brassica vegetables (mizuna and arugula), watercress has a higher content of phenols and vitamin C. Although watercress can bioaccumulate metals, it is thought to promote protection against them and act as a phytoremediator in moderately polluted aquatic ecosystems.

Pharmacology

Blood serum

Due to its gluconasturtin content, consuming about an ounce of watercress has been found to be equivalent to administering about 2-6 mg of phenylisothiocyanate to the human body, and consumption of 80 g of watercress has also been noted to increase serum phenylisothiocyanate levels to an average of 297 nmol (a wide range of 61 -656 nmol) at Tmax. usually 90-185 minutes, while consumption of 100 g of watercress increases the content of phenyl isothiocyanate in the blood serum to 928 nmol. Consumption of watercress can increase the level of phenylisothiocyanate circulating in the blood, although the method of increase is not reliable.

Cardiovascular Health

Cholesterol

In rats with a hypercholesterolemic state taking 500 mg/kg of watercress daily for 30 days, there was a decrease in triglycerides (43%), LDL (49%) and total cholesterol (37%) against the background of an increase in HDL (16%); a beneficial effect on liver enzymes was noted with reductions in ALT (39%), AST (42%), and alkaline phosphatase (40%). These effects are believed to be due to the antioxidant properties of the plant; when using a hydroalcoholic extract in rats on a high-fat diet, with oral administration of 500 mg/kg of this extract of watercress for 30 days, normalization of cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides was observed with a slight increase in HDL content with similar beneficial effects on liver enzyme levels. Both studies suggest that the beneficial effects of watercress on lipoproteins occur due to liver metabolism that is impaired in rats fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. To date, no studies have been conducted in humans.

Effect on oxidation

Mechanisms

The antioxidant potential of watercress is presented in a concentration-dependent manner in the prevention of lipid peroxidation (EC50 273.5 μg/ml, insufficient compared with catechin at 10.1 μg/ml), iron chelation (538.6 μg/ml, insufficient manifestation compared to EDTA at 5 μg/ml), free radical scavenging of diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (114.7 μg/ml, insufficient manifestation compared to vitamin C at 3.5 μg/ml), inhibition of ABTS+ (2,2"-azinobis+ ) (60.8 µg/ml, insufficient effect compared to Trolox at 11.2 µg/ml), nitric oxide inhibition (395.2 µg/ml, effect somewhat comparable to catechin at 332.1 µg/ml) and hydrogen peroxide absorption (312.4 µg/ml, an effect somewhat comparable to vitamin C at 106.2 µg/ml).Concentrating watercress into an ethanolic extract increases the potential for antioxidant properties, but is not sufficient to exceed those of reference preparations. Essential oil components also have antioxidant properties, with those in the leaves (IC50 87.0+/-0.9 µg/ml) having greater potential than stems and flowers in the diphenylpicrylhydrazyl assay (but less potential than the reference drug butylated hydroxytoluene at a concentration of 18.0+/-0.3 μg/ml). The substances in watercress are thought to have direct antioxidant properties, although they do not present significant potential in in vitro studies compared to reference preparations.

Genome damage

When administered for 15 days to rats with a supplement containing 0.5-1g/kg of watercress, the ability to cause genomic damage was by definition absent, but some protection from cyclophosphamide-induced genotoxicity was noted when assessing histological changes in the bladder; the protective effect was also replicated in in vitro studies in a concentration-dependent manner. This DNA protection effect has been noted in vitro in other organs. May protect DNA from oxidative damage.

Impact

An increase in the antioxidant capacity of the blood was noted in rats with high cholesterol levels taking 500 mg/kg of waterweed officinalis daily for 30 days, when not only was lipid peroxidation in the liver normalized with a subsequent decrease in hepatic glutathione content, but also an improvement was observed, exceeding the control level (in rats with a hypercholesterolemic state that took zherukha officinalis, a lower degree of lipid peroxidation and a higher glutathione content were observed than in rats of the control group without a hypercholesterolemic state). Similar trends were noted for catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase. After 8 weeks of taking 85g of watercress daily, an effect on antioxidant enzymes in humans was noted, although the effect was only seen in red blood cells (not white blood cells), and small increases in glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were limited to the GSMT1*0 genotype (which 44 of 60 had). subjects). This genotype is associated with a greater anticarcinogenic effect of cruciferous vegetables, which is associated with a lower rate of isothiocyanate release and an increased period of circulation in the blood. In this study, it was noted that other genotypes tended to increase glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase levels, but the increases were not statistically significant. These results were previously noted in healthy adults consuming 85 g of watercress daily, and these results were also noted to be greater in smokers than in non-smokers. Two studies confirmed some biological activity with daily consumption of watercress in relation to antioxidant properties, one noted a reduction in the amount of DNA damage in lymphocytes (white blood cells), while the other noted an induction of antioxidant enzymes depending on the genotype.

Effect on metabolism in malignant tumors

Mechanisms

Glucosinolates are considered to have a chemoprotective effect due to stage I and II modulation of enzymes (involved in bioactivation and drug release). Induction of quinone reductase with S-(N-β-phenylthiocarbamyl) glutathione was observed, although at a concentration 400 times higher than that found in the food; the isothiocyanates 7-methylsulfinylheptyl and 8-methylsulfinyloctyl were detected upon induction of twice the amount of enzyme at concentrations of 0.2 μM and 0.5 μM (similar to the potential of other sulfated isothiocyanates, including 4-methylsulfinylbutyl isothiocyanate (sulforaphane)). Possibly induces quinone reductase with minor biological activity with potential similar to sulforaphane. It has been previously noted that phenylisothiocyanate inhibits a protein known as 4E-BP1, which may stimulate some anti-carcinogenic activity (by inhibiting HIF activity), and in in vivo studies in women consuming 80 g of watercress, an increase in phenylisothiocyanate levels was noted in serum to 297 nM and suppression of 4E-BP1 phosphorylation in lymphocytes 6-8 hours after consumption, although the degree of suppression was actually unreliable. Possibly inhibits 4E-BP1, which was observed in a small sample of people after oral consumption of 80 g of Zherukina officinalis.

Interaction with other substances

Nicotine

Nicotine is a stimulant alkaloid primarily found in cigarettes and smoking cessation products. It was found that consumption of watercress increases the urinary content of metabolites 4-(methylnitrosoamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and its glucuronide. This is thought to be due to either increased glucuronidation or inhibition of CYP1A2 (aromatase). Consumption of 56.8 g of watercress at each meal for three days did not show significant changes in nicotine and continentin levels in the urine, which is likely due to the minimal level of CYP2A6 inhibition.

:Tags

List of used literature:

Jensen JK, et al. RNA-Seq analysis of developing nasturtium seeds (Tropaeolum majus): identification and characterization of an additional galactosyltransferase involved in xyloglucan biosynthesis. Mol Plant. (2012)

Rose P, et al. 7-Methylsulfinylheptyl and 8-methylsulfinyloctyl isothiocyanates from watercress are potent inducers of phase II enzymes. Carcinogenesis. (2000)

Common watercress and medicinal watercress, spring watercress, watercress, watercress, watercress, spring watercress, water horseradish, brunette cress. All these names refer to the same species from the genus Zherukhi of the Cabbage family. In addition to this herb, eight other species belong to the genus Zherukha.

Zherukha is a perennial, fast-growing, aquatic-semi-aquatic plant, known since ancient times as a herbaceous vegetable. Despite the fact that it was popular in the Roman Empire, and in the Middle Ages in France and the German states, it was introduced into culture only in the 19th century.

Appearance

Attitudes towards this plant have developed differently in different countries. In some, watercress is considered a weed or aquatic vegetation, and in some it is widely cultivated as a very useful herb.

Externally it looks like this:

The stem is thick and hollow. Reaches 50-60 cm in length.
The shoots usually hang decoratively from the main stem.
The leaves are green, fleshy, and often heart-shaped.
The flowers are collected at the top in an umbrella-shaped inflorescence. Sepals of the same shape, 2-3 mm long. The petals themselves are small and white, 4-5 mm long, with marigolds. The short stamens have honey glands shaped like a horseshoe. The anthers are yellow.
Fetus. After flowering, the fruit appears in the form of a short convex pod. Inside it there are oblong seeds on both sides.
Blooms from May to August.

Where does it grow

The medicinal watercress can be found both in wild places and cultivated in garden beds.

In its natural environment it grows:

In the Azores and Canary Islands.
In European countries.
In Central Asia and Pakistan.
In Russia: in the Caucasus and Dagestan foothills.

In African countries: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco.

Grown in the following countries:

IN THE USA.
In Paraguay and Venezuela of South America.
In many European countries (England, France, Germany).

Zherukha is a plant that loves water and humidity. In the wild, it grows in flowing streams, swamps, ponds, on river banks, and near seas. At home, for planting watercress, artificial ditches with a depth of at least 50 cm are made, which must be constantly filled with water.

Method of making spices

The above-ground part of watercress is consumed only fresh, as it is believed that when dried it may lose its properties. Green leaves and seeds are used to make spices. The taste of the leaves is tart and bitter, and the smell is pungent, similar to the smell of horseradish. When combined with mint and rosemary, the result is a very piquant mixture that enhances the taste of fish and meat dishes.
The roots are usually harvested in the fall. Dry at a temperature of at least 40-45°C. A tincture is made from the roots. The seeds can also be used to make a spice. The taste is reminiscent of mustard. They are collected after ripening. Can be used in tinctures or added fresh to salads and sauces.

Peculiarities

Zherukha has the following features:

It is considered a very healthy and dietary food product.
The taste is bitter and tart, reminiscent of horseradish-like radish and mustard.
This grass is fast-growing, frost-resistant, moisture-demanding and shade-tolerant. Only with an abundance of moisture does it produce tender greens, and when grown in the ground it quickly begins to stem and flower, as a result it loses its medicinal qualities.

Beneficial features

Water frog is rich in mineral trace elements and vitamins.

Harm

To avoid irritation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and kidneys when using watercress, a number of rules should be followed:

You should not take it too often or in large quantities.
Be sure to drink only water.
The most optimal dose is to drink one teaspoon no more than three to four times a day (with 30 ml of water).

Oil

Oil from medicinal watercress is in many ways similar to mustard oil. It is made from the seeds of the water frog. This oil is enriched with various acids: oleic, palmitic, linolenic, etc.

Juice

You can squeeze a “magic drink” - juice - out of fresh watercress. It is called magical, due to the fact that the juice of the agar juice is very enriched with minerals, especially sulfur.

This juice can treat:

burns;
lipomas;
warts;
polyps and other skin diseases.

You can make a decoction from the water walker that cures diseases:

thyroid gland;
liver and kidneys (from cholelithiasis);
skin;
circulatory system (from anemia).

This decoction is also useful for rheumatism, gout and even diabetes.

The juice of the pharmaceutical watercress cleanses the intestines well, which is why it cannot be taken separately.

You can drink it in combination with the juices of other vegetables. For example, a very good combination is obtained from the juices of watercress, carrots and celery.

Take fresh watercress juice in 30 ml of water, 30-60 drops, 3-4 times a day after meals.

It cleanses, restores and improves the functioning of the circulatory system.
It is very helpful for thin people with anemia and low blood pressure.
It is an effective remedy for hemorrhoids. The mixture can even dissolve hemorrhoids and remove other types of tumors.
To restore the body, you need to take this mixture for several months (from 1 to 6), and at the same time exclude flour, meat and sugar products from the diet.
The combination of parsley juice, parsley, carrot juice and potatoes is a valuable remedy for emphysema. It contains a large amount of phosphorus and chlorine.

Application

In cooking

Zherukha was consumed as a vegetable back in Ancient Rome.

Now it is accepted:

In its raw form, as a spice, vegetable.
Dried as a seasoning.
Boiled.
In oil form.
In the form of juices.

Each part of this plant has its own use in cooking:

Green leaves are added to salads, soups, sauces and fillings, and fish and meat dishes as a spice. At the same time, their taste is slightly pungent, bitter, and the aroma is sharp, but pleasant, similar to the smell of horseradish. They can be combined with other spices. For example, when combined with rosemary and mint, the result is a rather piquant mixture of spices that can enhance and add some heat to many dishes. Juices are also made from fresh green leaves. The leaves are dried, salted and even pickled, but many properties are lost.
The seeds can be used to make mustard substitute and mustard oil.
Snack pastes, spices and purees are prepared from the shoots. The taste of shoots kept in boiling water for 5 minutes is reminiscent of radish.
The roots are often used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. Decoctions and infusions are made from them. It is an official food product in European countries (Switzerland, Italy, France) and in South American countries (Brazil).

Here are some recipes using watercress:

Cream soup with potatoes and watercress

Required: 3 handfuls of chopped watercress, one tablespoon of olive oil, 2 handfuls of chopped onion, 300 grams of mashed potatoes, ½ red hot pepper, 1.5 cups of vegetable or chicken broth (400 ml).

Cooking method:

Fry the onion in olive oil for a few minutes. Add a pinch of salt and ground pepper.
Add pre-cooked mashed potatoes.
Wash the pepper, carefully remove the seeds and cut into small pieces. Add pepper to fried onion.
Pour in the broth. Boil.
Chop the watercress leaves and add to the pan.
Beat using a food processor or mixer.
Reheat and add seasoning.
Before serving, you can garnish with chives, for example.

Orange salad with watercress

You will need: a bunch of watercress leaves, two pieces of orange, 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Cooking method:

Grate the outer rind of the oranges. Use a fine grater.
Remove the white peel from the oranges and cut them into slices so that the current orange juice also gets into the bowl.
Prepare a dressing from olive oil and one tablespoon of orange juice.
Add grated orange peel and a pinch of sugar to the filling.
Then add salt and pepper.
Finely chop the bunch of cress. Add watercress to the filling and stir.
Arrange the orange slices and pour the dressing over them.

Grilled salmon with cress sauce

You will need: 400 grams of salmon fillet, 55 grams of watercress, and 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds.

Cooking method:

To prepare the dressing, you need to foam 110 ml of grape vinegar and 55 g of sunflower oil.
Add 55 g of pre-chopped watercress leaves. Leave it alone to brew.
Take 400 grams of salmon fillet and cut into 2 pieces. Grease them with vegetable oil and season with seasonings.
Fry in a heated frying pan on both sides.
Take a medium sized bowl or plate and place the cress leaves in the center.
Place the fillet on top of the leaves. Sprinkle sesame seeds. Pour over the previously prepared filling.

Cucumber soup with watercress

Required: Bruncress leaves, 55 grams of butter, a bunch of green onions, one large cucumber.

To prepare, you first need to melt the butter, then cut a bunch of onions and add them to the butter. Peel and cut the cucumber into small pieces. Pour it into the oil. When the cucumber becomes soft, add watercress leaves. Salt and pepper. Pour 1 liter of water. You can use broth instead of water. Boil, keep on fire for another five minutes. Using a mixer or food processor and beat. Can be served cold or warm. It is tastier to serve warm with the addition of sour cream.

Watercress salad with pumpkin seeds

Required: 1 tablespoon of olive oil, half a lemon, a bunch of watercress, 3 carrots, two boiled eggs, sunflower oil (or any other vegetable oil), peeled pumpkin seeds, honey.

First, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil. Then add the chopped watercress. Grate the carrots. Finely chop the boiled eggs. Add carrots and boiled eggs to the watercress. After this, heat a frying pan with cottonseed oil. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds (1 tablespoon is enough). Fry for 2 minutes. Add a teaspoon of honey and remove from heat. Sprinkle with seeds again and the salad is ready.

Sandwiches with cheese, shrimp and watercress

Required: cream cheese 75 g, shrimp 59 g, 8 slices of bread, seasoning.

Peel and cut the shrimp. Stir in cream cheese. Season and spread 4 slices of bread with this mixture. Sprinkle with crushed watercress leaves. Place a slice of bread on top. Using a knife, divide the resulting sandwiches diagonally into 4 parts. The result is very satisfying triangle sandwiches.

In medicine

The composition of pharmaceutical watercress is striking in its enrichment and combination of vitamins and various minerals. Traditional medicine recommends taking watercress fresh and raw, because this is the only way to better preserve its beneficial properties.

Thanks to its composition, this miracle herb helps with various disorders of the human body:

Zherukha helps with abnormal metabolism in the body.
It is able to cleanse and improve the condition of the blood, and treat anemia.
To remove sand from the bladder and kidneys, drink its juice.
This juice is also indispensable for stomach catarrh, pyelonephritis, pyelitis, nephritis.
Effectively acts as a laxative.
Removes worms from the intestines.
For disorders of the nervous system, thyroid gland, rheumatism, and cancer, watercress decoction is prescribed.
Zherukha is even taken for obesity. Useful for diabetes.
Watercress seeds are an effective remedy for treating impotence. Prescribe 1 teaspoon three times a day.
Ointment based on rejuice helps well with burns, acne, warts, calluses, etc.
It can cleanse the body of harmful substances and toxins.
Used in the treatment of fever and scurvy.

Infusion for hypovitaminosis (in spring)

Pour 30 g of fresh watercress leaves with a liter of boiling water. Let it brew for two hours. Strain and take 250 ml (1 glass) twice a day.

Decoction

Pour 20 g of fresh flowers and leaves into 250 ml of boiling water. Leave in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Cool without removing. Strain. Take 3 times a day, 2 tablespoons after meals.

Tincture

Take 70% alcohol and fresh waterweed roots. Approximate ratio: 1:5. Let it brew for 15 days. Take the mixture as follows: 30-40 drops per 50 ml of water per single dose. The dose can be increased, but not immediately, to 40-60 drops per dose.

Varieties

The following varieties of watercress are grown:

Podmoskovny.
Broadleaf.
Portuguese.
Improved.

Growing

As already noted, the common watercress loves high humidity.

Grows in places such as:

ditches;
springs;
streams;
bodies of water;
banks of rivers and seas;
foothills;
swamps and other places with high humidity.

You can also cultivate watercress at home. If you live in an apartment, all you need to do is take a small bowl, put cotton wool in it, wet the cotton wool and pour seeds into it. After about 7 days, shoots about 7 cm high appear. After this, you need to cut off the leaves and sow new seeds. Instead of dishes, wooden boxes or flower pots are also suitable. Zherukha is a plant that does not require care, but loves shade and moisture. Both seeds and cuttings are suitable for growing in the yard or garden. Plant in March in a greenhouse, and after 2 weeks in open soil. Be sure to dig irrigation furrows between the rows. The temperature in the greenhouse should be kept between +15 and 25°C.

As you know, watercress is cultivated in different regions, but people have a special love for this plant in Europe and the United States of America.

In England, the watercress was first cultivated by the gardener William Bradbury in 1808 from Kent. He grew his crops on the banks of the Ebbsfleet River. Since then, this herbaceous vegetable has spread to other UK counties: Hertfordshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset. Now watercress can be found on the shelves of supermarkets in England and some other European countries. Festivals are held in honor of this plant in the city of Alresford. A railway line was even named after Bruncress.

The so-called “cress capital of the world” is even known. It is located in the US state of Alabama. In the 1940s Huntsville has been nicknamed the "cress capital of the world." Today, the city of Oviedo, Florida in the USA is considered the cress capital, and for the British, Alresford remains their cress capital.

Beetle beetle – Nasturtium officinale R. BR. Family Cruciferous – Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)

Botanical characteristics

Perennial herbaceous plant. The stems are recumbent or erect, 30-90 cm long, often forming dense turf. The leaves are fleshy, juicy, dark green; the lower ones are trifoliate, the upper ones are 5-9-lobed. The flowers are white with pronounced yellow anthers, collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Blooms from April to June. Fruits until September.

Spreading

It grows on moist soils, in swamps, near springs, less often on rocky and crushed stone soils, and is found on the plain and foothills, near springs.

Plant parts used

Medicinal raw materials are roots, leaves, flowers, fruits. Flowers and leaves are collected mainly during flowering, from which juice is obtained, which is stored for future use. After drying, the healing properties of the leaves and flowers disappear. The leaves can be collected after flowering, but they have weaker healing properties.

The roots are harvested in the fall before the leaves wither and dried in dryers at a temperature of 40-45°C. However, it is better to make a tincture from the roots immediately after collecting the raw materials. The seeds are collected as they ripen and are also used fresh or in tinctures.

Chemical composition

The plant contains saponins, alkaloids, mustard oil, thioglycosides: gluconasturcin, glucobrassicin and other glycosides containing sulfur. The seeds contain fatty oil, containing acids: oleic, linoleic, linolenic, eicosenoic, palmitic, stearic, etc.; a large set of microelements: K, I, Fe and others in smaller quantities; vitamins, mainly A, C, D and others in small quantities.

Application and medicinal properties

The roots are the official raw material in France, Italy, Brazil, Venezuela, and Switzerland.

The roots and fresh juice of the plant are used in homeopathy, for metabolic disorders, decreased function of the liver, gall bladder and kidneys; with anemia, pyelonephritis; antiscorbutic, for rheumatoid diseases, gout.

IN folk medicine in many countries, decoctions of roots, infusions of fresh plants and juice are widely used for cholelithiasis, bladder diseases, scurvy, ascites, gout, chronic catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, thyroid diseases, diabetes, cancer, colitis, tumors; externally – for lipomas, warts; seeds - as a seasoning for dishes.

Preparation

For decoction take 20 g of fresh leaves and flowers, pour in 250 ml of boiling water, leave in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes, cool for 10 minutes without removing from the bath, filter. You should take 2 tbsp. spoons 3 times a day after meals.
Tincture from fresh roots they are prepared in 70% alcohol at a ratio of 1:5. They insist for 15 days. Take 30-40 drops per dose per 50 ml of water. You can gradually increase the dose to 40-60 drops.
Fresh juice take 30-60 drops per dose 3-4 times a day in 30 ml of water, after meals.

To enhance the effect, it is often used together with dandelion and nettle (salad and decoction) - in equal quantities.

The watercress is a water-loving plant, but it is not found directly on the surface of the water, but settles along the banks of swamps, rivers and streams. Some representatives of this genus grow in dry places, but such varieties, as a rule, do not have a healing effect. When collecting Nasturtium raw materials for medicinal purposes, do not forget that only fresh herbs are useful; when dried, they lose their properties.

Description of watercress

Description of watercress (Nasturtium officinale W.T. Aiton): belongs to the Brassicaceae family. This is a perennial herbaceous plant with a hollow grooved stem, lying and rooting at the base, 10-60 sometimes 100 cm high.

As you can see in the photo, the leaves of the watercress are pinnately dissected:

Lower leaves with 3, upper leaves with 3-7 pairs of oblong or oval sessile emarginate lateral lobes and larger, round or ovoid petiolate.

Look at the photo - the flowers of the watercress plant are white, in short racemes:

Stamen filaments are purple. The fruits are linear, often slightly bent and compressed, 10-20 cm long and about 1.8-2.5 cm wide, at the apex with a short fleshy style and a capitate, slightly bilobed stigma, on stalks 10-20 mm long, protruding horizontally . The seeds are two-row, small, finely cellular, reddish brown, with marginal radicles.

Blooms from May to August. Fruits in July.

Distribution of watercress: grows where there are streams, springs, swamps, often almost in water, found in small quantities. Distributed in the western forest-steppe, in places in the steppe and in the middle part of the European regions of Russia.

Growing: watercress is cultivated as an annual plant in areas located near water bodies, on marshy soils. When planting and then weekly, apply a full range of mineral fertilizers. Abundant watering is required. Propagated by seeds or cuttings: shoots 20-25 cm long are separated and rooted. After rooting, the seedlings are planted in a permanent place.

These photos show what watercress looks like:

Medicinal properties of watercress

Plant parts used: grass.

Dried grass loses its medicinal properties. Various parts of the plant contain: vitamin E (alpha tocopherol); vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - leaf. 0.16 mg%; gamma-linolenic acid - in family oil. 0.5%; nesodyn - leaf. 0.9 mg%; thiamine (vitamin B1, aneurin) - leaf. 0.08 mg%; erucic acid - in family oil. 18%.

Collection time: June August.

Collection: For medicinal purposes, only fresh plants collected during flowering are used. In culture, it is cut 40-45 days after planting the seedlings; at this time the plant reaches 40-45 cm in height, and the leaves are 20-30 cm in length.

Here are photos of watercress grass:

The plant is listed in the Red Books of the Bryansk region in Russia.

Application: watercress is used as an antiscorbutic, diuretic, expectorant, tonic, and blood purifier.

Fresh juice is effective for diseases of the liver, gall bladder, spleen, anemia and metabolic disorders.

In folk medicine it is used as a sedative for nervous diseases and as an antifever for various fevers.

The decoction is taken for diseases of the liver, thyroid gland, cholelithiasis and urolithiasis, anemia, rheumatism, gout, diabetes mellitus and for skin diseases internally and externally.

Fresh juice from the plant is used externally for lipomas (wen), warts, polyps and burns.

The ointment is used to treat burns, remove warts and wen.

Economic purpose: For food use, the plant is cut often until shoots with flowers appear, after which the taste becomes very bitter.

As a vegetable plant, watercress was grown and consumed in ancient Rome.

The leaves of the plant are used as a spice; they taste tart and bitter, and the aroma is sharp, like horseradish. They are added to various salads and used as an independent salad plant, then other herbs or food products are added to it. It complements vegetable and herb soups well, improves the taste of fish and meat dishes, sauces and fillings.

Mixed with mint and rosemary, it forms a savory seasoning used in many dishes.

The seeds can replace mustard as a spice. From them you can obtain edible oil, similar in quality to mustard oil.

Watercress is added to sandwiches with cheese, ham or fish, giving them a mustard taste. Combines with mayonnaise and vegetable oils.

Use of watercress

Recipes for using watercress herb for medicinal purposes:

fresh juice for cholelithiasis, in the presence of stones and sand in the kidneys and bladder, for acute and chronic inflammation of the kidneys, for jaundice, for all types of stomach catarrh and as a mild laxative: take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day.
decoction: for the above diseases, you can use not only the juice, but also a decoction of watercress (always from fresh herbs) at the rate of 20-40 g per 1 liter of boiling water, boil for 5 minutes. Take 1 glass 3 times a day.
ointment externally for the treatment of burns: 1-2 tablespoons of watercress juice per 50 g of butter. When making an ointment, you need to thoroughly grind the oil and juice so that the components are well mixed, or melt with thorough stirring, stir until the mass cools completely. Keep refrigerated.
infusion for skin diseases: 25-30 g of fresh leaves per 1 liter of boiling water, leave for 2-3 hours, filter. Take 1 glass 2 times a day.
decoction for anemia, cancer, itchy dermatoses, urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, thyroid diseases, diabetes: 40 g of fresh herbs per 1 liter of boiling water, boil for 5 minutes, let cool, filter. Take 1 glass 2-3 times a day before meals.

Contraindications: when consumed in large dosages and taken internally before meals, irritation of the mucous membranes of the stomach and kidneys is possible.

Dosages must be strictly observed.
Do not use if breastfeeding.
Allergic reactions are possible.
Individual intolerance is possible.

Plant extract of watercress is a skin-healing, structure-improving and hair-strengthening agent. It is also used for medical purposes to improve metabolic processes, strengthen hair and treat burns. Introduced into cosmetics up to 100%. Contraindications: individual intolerance is possible.

Using the watercress plant in home cosmetics:

infusion for strengthening hair and skin diseases of the head and body: 50-100 g of herb per 1 liter of boiling water, leave for 4 hours, filter. Use to rinse hair and body. Do not dry your hair, put it under a plastic bag and wrap it in a towel. After 30 minutes, rinse light hair with chamomile infusion, and dark hair with tea leaf infusion. When rinsing the body, it is advisable to let the skin dry on its own.

Contraindications: Allergic reactions are possible.

One of the universal aquatic perennial plants is the medicinal herb watercress, which has many properties, including beneficial vitamins and acids. Often, in case of illness, people resort to the help of traditional medicine, forgetting about the more beneficial properties of folk medicine. Lack of vitamins, various colds and inflammation - all this is compensated for by medicines containing various chemical elements. However, it will be much more effective to use medicinal herbs. One of the most useful is watercress. Every person should know about its beneficial properties. But before use you need to consult your doctor.

One of the universal aquatic perennial plants is the medicinal herb watercress.

Growing conditions

More than 8 more species of plants are classified as watercress grass, and it itself belongs to the Brassicaceae (Cruciferous) family. This is a very rare plant that has many names depending on the area in which it grows. The grass is perennial, with recumbent shoots, found exclusively near water bodies.

Mainly grows in Europe. Legends say that the watercress has magical properties, as it is found near rivers where many evil spirits live, to whom it was sacrificed. If desired, this plant can be grown in a summer cottage, but for this it is necessary to create conditions of high humidity.

The flowering of the plant can be observed exclusively from April to June. When harvesting watercress, you need to pay attention to an important aspect: it must be collected during flowering. But it is also important to know that if the herb is dried, then all its healing properties disappear, so it is advisable to use it fresh.

Application of the herb

Watercress is a perennial plant with wide medicinal properties. It is characterized by the presence of thick stems, oval leaves and flowering with white buds. In addition, the plant produces fruits that look like pods. It has a positive effect only when consumed in its natural (fresh) form.

Useful properties of the common watercress:

contains substances necessary for the body: phosphorus, iron, various groups of vitamins (A, B, C, etc.), potassium, alkaloids, carbohydrates, essential oil, arsenic, iodine and minerals;
has a diuretic effect;
cleanses the body of toxins;
prevents putrefactive processes;
treats skin diseases (burns, lipomas, warts, papillomas, wen);
regulates metabolism;
helps with bronchitis as an expectorant;
relieves fever;
serves as a sedative;
helps treat thyroid diseases, diabetes, liver defects, chronic nephritis, stomatitis;
removes general weakness;
helps get rid of constipation;
helps in the treatment of cholelithiasis and urolithiasis;
treats gout and rheumatism;
strengthens the immune system;
eliminates respiratory tract diseases;
regulates the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, treats gastritis;
helps fight anemia and cancer.

More than 8 more species of plants are classified as watercress grass, and it itself belongs to the Brassicaceae (Cruciferous) family.

Zherukha officinalis is a plant with a wide range of positive effects on the body. But along with this, there are also known contraindications to its use. Among them are the following:

when consuming watercress in large doses, irritation of the mucous membranes of the kidneys and stomach may occur;
You should consult your doctor before use;
you need to drink plenty of drinking water;
the maximum dose should be 4 tsp.

What is marjoram?

Use in cooking

Water beetroot is a very versatile plant that not only has a medicinal effect, but is also used in cooking. Its use in cooking dates back to ancient times. Each nation has a different opinion about this plant. In some countries it is considered a weed, while in others it is positioned as very useful. Zherukha is a relative of the famous vegetable crop known as watercress.

In cooking, the herb is mostly consumed as a vegetable plant or the leaves are used as a spice. It tastes bitter, with a sharp, pleasant aroma, vaguely reminiscent of horseradish. Zherukha goes well with fish and meat dishes, cheese and ham. Salads made from this herb are best seasoned with mayonnaise or olive oil. Zherukha is primarily a dietary product, since its calorie content is very low.

various sauces;
salad, rich in vitamins;
seasoning - for this the leaves need to be dried and crushed;
healthy juice drink;
vegetable soup;
sandwiches.

Watercress (video)

Use in folk medicine

The use of watercress in folk medicine is very widespread, because it promotes a speedy recovery from many diseases. They begin to sow it at the end of March, and the flowers are harvested at the end of June; the seeds are harvested as they ripen. The watercress loves water very much, so it needs frequent watering. Juice is extracted from its flowers, which is very rich in medicinal properties.

Application of wild rosemary

Zherukha officinalis is a plant with a wide range of positive effects on the body.

Several simple recipes for using watercress in folk medicine.