watercress
Nasturtium officinale · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (563 studies) · ★★★★★
Watercress, scientifically known as Nasturtium officinale, is a nutrient-dense aquatic plant celebrated for its peppery flavor and potent healing properties. Rich in vitamins A, C, and K, it serves as a powerful antioxidant. Historically used to support digestion and immunity, this versatile botanical offers remarkable benefits for holistic wellness.
Names
Common Names
- southern watercress
- true watercress
- watercress
- Water-cress
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Cardamine aquatica
- Baeumerta nasturtium-aquaticum
- Arabis nasturtium
- Nasturtium siifolium
- Baeumerta nasturtium
- Cardamine nasturtium-aquaticum
- Sisymbrium nasturtium
- Crucifera fontana
- Mastuerzo de agua
- Rorippa nasturtium aquaticum
- Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum
- Cardaminum nasturtium
- Cardamine nasturtium
- Rorippa nasturtium
- Sisymbrium fluviatile
- Nasturtium nasturtium
- Berro
- berro de agua
- Nastrutium officinale
- Berro
German:
- Echte Brunnenkresse
- Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum
- Gemeine Brunnenkresse
- Brunnenkresse
- Bachkresse
- Kapuzinerkresse
- Cresson de Fontaine
- Nastrutium officinale
- Brunnenkresse
- echte Brunnenkresse
French:
- cresson de fontaine
- Cresson des fontaines
- Cresson de fontaine
- Cresson officinal
- Nastrutium officinale
- cresson
- cresson de fontaine
- cresson officinal
- cresson d'eau
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Nasturtium officinaleSynonyms
- Nasturtium parvifolium
- Crucifera fontana
- Nasturtium officinale subsp. parvifolium
- Nasturtium officinale var. parvifolium
- Sisymbrium officinale var. parvifolium
- Nasturtium officinale var. macrocarpum
- Nasturtium officinale f. subasarifolium
- Cardaminum nasturtium
- Nasturtium siifolium
- Nasturtium fontanum var. longisiliquum
- Baeumerta nasturtium
- Nasturtium officinale var. vulgare
- Radicula nasturtium
- Rorippa nasturtium
- Radicula officinalis
- Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum
- Sisymbrium nasturtium-aquaticum
- Arabis nasturtium
- Rorippa officinalis
- Nasturtium officinale subsp. rotundifolium
- Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum var. longisiliqua
- Radicula nasturtium-aquaticum
- Sisymbrium amarum
- Sisymbrium fluviatile
- Nasturtium officinale var. siifolium
- Nasturtium roridulum
- Nasturtium officinale var. precosium
- Nasturtium officinale var. paucijugatum
- Nasturtium officinale var. platyphyllum
- Nasturtium officinale var. praecox
- Nasturtium alexandrinum
- Nasturtium officinale var. parviflorum
- Nasturtium officinale var. minor
- Cardamine nasturtium-aquaticum
- Cardamine aquatica
- Nasturtium officinale var. asarifolium
- Nasturtium officinale var. intermedium
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, known scientifically as Nasturtium officinale, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, following the order Brassicales. Finally, it resides within the family Brassicaceae under the genus Nasturtium.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Brassicales | WCVP |
| Family | Brassicaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Nasturtium | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant, known as Nasturtium officinale, is widely distributed across several regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing in the natural landscapes of Great Britain and Ireland. Its presence extends further north into the territories of Sweden. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is also well-established in Austria. Additionally, the plant is commonly documented within the borders of Belgium.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Hungary | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Netherlands | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Poland | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Nasturtium officinale, commonly known as watercress, possesses various components that are utilized in both traditional medicine and biotechnology. The primary medicinal value is often derived from the aerial parts, which include the stems and foliage that grow above the water's surface. Within these aerial parts, the leaves are particularly noted for their high concentration of bioactive compounds and nutritional density. In modern pharmaceutical research, scientists also utilize microshoot cultures derived from the plant to facilitate the controlled production of secondary metabolites, allowing for the efficient study and cultivation of its therapeutic properties in a laboratory setting.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Nasturtium officinale has 85 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Glucosinolates, Carotenoids, Flavonoid, Gluconasturtiin, Glucosinolate.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Glucosinolates | 3 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Carotenoids | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Flavonoid | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Gluconasturtiin | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Glucosinolate | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| RUTIN | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| proline | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 2-Phenylethyl isothiocyanate | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3-Phenylpropionitrile | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ash | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Glucosinolates
- Dr. Duke
- Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
- Food chemistry
Carotenoids
- Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
- Heliyon
Flavonoid
- Research in pharmaceutical sciences
- Journal of acupuncture and meridian studies
Gluconasturtiin
- Dr. Duke
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
Glucosinolate
- Dr. Duke
- Biomolecules
RUTIN
- Dr. Duke
- Research in pharmaceutical sciences
proline
- Dr. Duke
- Heliyon
2-Phenylethyl isothiocyanate
- Dr. Duke
3-Phenylpropionitrile
- Dr. Duke
Ash
- Dr. Duke
Activities
Nasturtium officinale has 394 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, Anticancer, Antibacterial, Antiinflammatory.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | Dr. Duke (and other 7 sources) | ★★★★☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiinflammatory | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cardioprotective | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-HT-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ACE-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Acidulant | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Adjuvant | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Nasturtium officinale has 37 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include oxidative stress, hyperglycemia, hypertension, Staphylococcus aureus, bronchitis.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| oxidative stress | Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| hyperglycemia | Pharmaceutical biology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| hypertension | Pharmaceutical biology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Nigerian journal of clinical practice (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bronchitis | Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | Seminars in cancer biology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| renal colic | Pharmaceutical biology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Asthma | Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cauliflower mosaic virus | Plant disease (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cucumber mosaic virus | Plant disease (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| extract | Research in pharmaceutical sciences (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| ethanolic extract | Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hydroalcoholic extract | Advanced biomedical research (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ethanol extracts | Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hydroalcoholic Extract | Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| essential oils | Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruit juice | Ultrasonics sonochemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hydro-alcoholic extract | Nigerian journal of clinical practice (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hydrophilic extract | Journal of nephropathology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanolic extracts | Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |