Persicaria hydropiper
Water pepper
Persicaria hydropiper, commonly known as Water Pepper, is a versatile medicinal herb native to moist habitats. Renowned for its pungent aroma, it possesses potent antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Traditionally used in various cultures, this plant serves as a natural remedy for treating skin infections, digestive issues, and respiratory ailments.
- Scientific name: Persicaria hydropiper
- Family: Polygonaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Caryophyllales, it is classified under the family Polygonaceae. Finally, it is categorized within the genus Persicaria.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Caryophyllales | WCVP |
| Family | Polygonaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Persicaria | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Persicaria hydropiper, is referred to by several common names across different regions and dialects. In Simplified Chinese, it is known as 水蓼 (zh-hans), which is also the standard designation used in mainland China (zh-cn), Singapore (zh-sg), and Hong Kong (zh-hk). Similarly, in Traditional Chinese, the name is written as 水蓼 (zh-hant).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 水蓼 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 水蓼 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 水蓼 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 水蓼 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 水蓼 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 水蓼 | Wikidata |
| pl | rdest ostrogorzki | Wikidata |
| sk | horčiak pieprový | Wikidata |
| ko | 여뀌 | Wikidata |
| ru | горец перечный | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing within the borders of Denmark. Additionally, its presence is documented in the country of Finland. The species also inhabits parts of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, its geographical range extends to the landscapes of Norway.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as water pepper, utilizes various components for its medicinal applications. The root serves as a primary source of therapeutic compounds, often collected and processed for traditional remedies. When prepared as a powdered dry root, it can be easily incorporated into different formulations to harness its potent properties. Additionally, the leaves are also significant parts of the plant, contributing to its overall chemical profile and medicinal utility.- Total parts
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| powdered dry root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Persicaria hydropiper has 13 reported phytochemicals identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include anthraquinones, cis-geranylacetone, coumarin, decahydronaphthalene, dihydro-alpha-ionone.
- Total chemicals
- 13
- Scientific sources
- 13
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| anthraquinones | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cis-geranylacetone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| coumarin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| decahydronaphthalene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dihydro-alpha-ionone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gallic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| kaempferol-3-O-glucoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| nerolidol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| quercetin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Persicaria hydropiper has 14 reported activities identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antifertility, Antifungal, Antimicrobial.
- Total activities
- 14
- Scientific sources
- 24
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antifertility | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anthelmintic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidepressant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifeedant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Persicaria hydropiper has 6 reported medicinal uses identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, diarrhea, dyspepsia, hemorrhoids, postprandial hyperglycemia.
- Total uses
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diarrhea | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dyspepsia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hemorrhoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| postprandial hyperglycemia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| type-2 diabetes | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |