|
|
Medicinal Plant details |
| More
Information |
|
|
|
| Sanskrit Name |
Chandrashoor |
|
|
| Common name in English |
Pepperweed, Garden Cress, Pepper-grass, Common cress, Land cress, Pepper cress |
|
|
| Botanical Name |
Lepidium sativum L. |
|
|
| Historical Accounts |
"Cultivation of this species, which is native to Southwest Asia (perhaps Persia) and which spread many centuries ago to western Europe, is very old, as is shown by the philological trace of its names in different Indo-European languages. These include the Persian word turehtezuk, the Greek kardamon, the Latin nasturtium and Arabic tuffa' and hurf. In some languages there is a degree of confusion with watercress. It seems that the meaning of the word nasturtium (nasum torcere, because its smell causes the nose to turn up) must have been applied initially to garden cress, as both Pliny and Isidoro de Sevilla explain. The confusion remains with the terms used by the Hispano-Arabs. The word hurf is applied without distinction to watercress and garden cress (several species certainly of up to three different genera: Nasturtium, Lepidium and Cardaria). Thus the medieval agronomists of Andalusia went as far as differentiating between several hurf, such as hurf abyad, hurf babili, hurf madani...." (Site: http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0646e/T0646E0t.htm).
"In the fifteenth century, we know through Alonso de Herrera that garden cress was one of the vegetables most widely eaten in Castile. During the sixteenth century, obstinate attempts were made to introduce it into America. Right up to the beginning of the nineteenth century, its cultivation in Spain continued to be important, since Boutelou and Boutelou (1801) deal specifically with this crop in their Tratado de la huerta, commenting on the existence of several cultivars. At present, the cultivation of cress is very occasional in countries such as Spain and France." (Site: http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0646e/T0646E0t.htm).
"Xenophon (400 BC) mentions that the Persians used to eat this plant even before bread was known. It was also familiar to the Egyptians and was very much appreciated by the Greeks and Romans, who were very fond of banquets rich in spices and spicy salads. Columela (first century) makes direct reference to the cultivation of garden cress. In Los doce libros de Agricultura, he writes: " ...immediately after the calends of January, garden cress is sown out... when you have transplanted it before the calends of March, you will be able to harvest it like chives, but less often... it must not be cut after the calends of November because it dies from frosts, but can resist for two years if it is hoed and manured carefully... there are also many sites where it lives for up to ten years" (Book XI). The latter statements seem to indicate that he is also speaking of the perennial species L. Iatifolium, as L. sativum is an annual." (Site: http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0646e/T0646E0t.htm) |
|
|
| Parts Used |
Roots, Seeds, Leaves |
|
|
| Human Medicinal Usage |
Drinking half a cup of a brew made from seeds of garden cress (Lepidium sativum) every morning for a fortnight is considered a good way to treat severe cough, cold and other liver inflammations. For treating asthma, a handful of ground garden cress seeds mixed with a soft boiled egg yolk and drunk early in the morning for a month is good.
Many of the authors of the old oriental and Mediterranean cultures emphasized the medicinal properties of cress, especially as an antiscorbutic, depurative and stimulant. Columela notes its vermifugal powers. Ibn al-Awwam refers to certain apparently antihistaminic properties, since it was used against insect bites and also as an insect repellent, in the form of a fumigant. It was perhaps Ibn al-Baytar, an Andalusian botanist (eighth century), who collected most information on its properties, summarizing the opinions of other authors such as El Farcy, who says that it incites coitus and stimulates the appetite; Ibn Massa, according to whom it dissipates colic and gets rid of tapeworms and other intestinal worms; or Ibn Massouih, who mentions that it eliminates viscous humours. Ibn al-Baytar also says that it is administered against leprosy, is useful for renal "cooling" and that, if hair is washed with garden cress water, it is "purified" and any loss is arrested.In Iran and Morocco, the seeds are used as an aphrodisiac. In former Abyssinia, edible oil was obtained from the seeds. In Eritrea, it was used as a dyestuff plant. Some Arab scholars have attributed garden cress's reputation among Muslims to the fact that it was directly recommended by the Prophet.
It is believed to have shown antifertility activity (Datta & Datta, 1961; Basu et al., 1968; Vohora et al., 1973; Khan et al., 1976; Wahabur et al., 1978; Meulenbeld, 1985).
Veterinary Medicinal Usage:
A paste of leaves of halin-halon-halma chanasaur (Lepidium sativum), if spread on the swollen part of the throat, is also effective in reducing the swelling.
For easy expulsion of placenta after delivery approximately two kg pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum) grains, 100 g of 'methi' (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seeds, 50 g of 'asalio' (Lepidium sativum), 25 g of 'suva' (Anethum graveolens) and 500 g of jaggery are boiled in water for one hour. The cooked feed (after cooling) is fed to cow or buffalo after delivery (Vaghasiya, 2000-2001). |
|
|
| Veterinary Medicinal Usage |
A paste of leaves of halin-halon-halma chanasaur (Lepidium sativus), if spread on the swollen part of the throat, is also effective in reducing the swelling. (Honey Bee,10(1): 5,1999)
For easy expulsion of placenta after delivery approximately two kg pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum) grains, 100 g of 'methi' (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seeds, 50 g of 'asalio' (Lepidium sativum), 25 g of 'suva' (Anethum graveolens) and 500 g of jaggery are boiled in water for one hour. The cooked feed (after cooling) is fed to cow or buffalo after delivery.(Honey Bee: 11(4) & 12(1): 26; 2000-2001) |
|
|
| Other Usage |
The roots, seeds and leaves have been used as a spicy condiment. Columela explains how oxygala, a type of curd cheese with herbs, was prepared: "Some people, after collecting cultivated or even wild garden cress, dry it in the shade and then, after removing the stem, add its leaves to brine, squeezing them and placing them in milk without any other seasoning, and adding the amount of salt they consider sufficient. Others mix fresh leaves of cultivated cress with sweetened milk in a pot. leaves boiled in water then used in preparing bread by mixing with bajri (millet) or jowari (Sorghum vulgare) flour; leaves and tender shoots eaten as a vegetable. |
|
|
| Family |
Brassicaceae |
|
|
| Description |
An annual, erect herbaceous plant, growing up to 50 cm. The basal leaves long petiolate, lyrate-pinnatipartite; the caulinar leaves laciniate-pinnate while the upper leaves entire. Inflorescence a dense raceme. Flowers white or slightly pink, measuring 2 mm. Fruit: siliquae 5-6 x 4 mm, elliptical, elate from the upper half, glabrous. Fl.: March - June. |
|
|
| Common Name in Other Countries |
Mastuerzo, Mastuerzo hortense, Lepidio, Berro de jardin (Spanish); Berro de sierra, Berro hortense (Spain); Escobilla (Argentina); Morritort, Morrisa (Costa Rica); Masturco, Mastruco, Agriao-mouro, Herba do esforzo (Portuguese, Galician); Buminka, Beatzecrexu (Brazil) |
|
|
| Habitat |
Abundantly found in forests.
|
|
|
| Rainfall |
Plants are grown in the area having annual rainfall 570-2000 mm. |
|
|
| Soil (Physical/Chemical) |
It is well suited to all soils and climates, although it does not tolerate frosts. |
|
|
| Regional Distribution |
Wild cress extends from the Sudan to the Himalayas. |
|
|
| Global Distribution |
Most authors consider it to be a native of western Asia, whence it passed very quickly to Europe and the rest of Asia as a secondary crop, probably associated with cultivars of flax. Vavilov considers its main centre to be Ethiopia, where he found the widest variability; the Near East, central Asia and the Mediterranean are considered secondary centres. It is now naturalized in numerous parts of Europe, including the British Isles. |
|
|
| Harvest |
The cress is harvested when the first pair of cotyledon leaves has developed and it is marketed in small bags or trays, sometimes together with seedlings of white mustard.
|
|
|
| Herbarium No |
0 |
REFERENCES |
| SR No. |
NAME |
ARTICLE TITLE |
AUTHOR |
PLACE OF PUBLICATION |
VOLUME/ISSUE |
YEAR |
PUBLISHER |
COMMENT |
| 1 |
Honey Bee |
Retention of placenta- The Benign Ber |
Vaghasiya, MP |
|
11(4) &12(1):28 |
2000-2001 |
|
|
| 2 |
Indian Journal of Pharmacy. |
Antifertility activity of some medicinal plants. |
Basu, UP, Bhaduri, B, Moza, BK. |
|
30: 291 |
1968 |
|
|
| 3 |
Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research. |
Pharmacognostical study of the seeds of Lepidium sativum L. |
Datta, SC, Datta, DD. |
|
20(C): 60-62. |
1961. |
|
|
| 4 |
JRIM. |
Botanical identity of "halun", |
Khan, MSY, Satya Narayana, N, Khan, AM. |
|
11(1): 128-129. |
1976. |
|
|
| 5 |
Ancient Science of Life. |
The garden cress in Indian Medicine. |
Meulenbeld, GJ. |
|
4(1): 40-41. |
1985. |
|
|
| 6 |
Indian Journal of Pharmacy. |
Antifertility studies on Unani herbs, part II: anti-ovulatory effects of `hanzal', `halun', `kalonji' and `sambhalu'. |
Vohora, SB, Khan, MSY, Afaq, SH. |
|
35(3): 100-102. |
1973. |
|
|
| 7 |
Ind J Physiol Pharmacol. |
Effect of four indigenous plants on copper induced ovulation in rabbits - Vitex negundo L., Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad., Lepidium sativum L. and Nigella sativa. |
Vohra, SB, Khan, MSY, Afaq, SH. |
|
17(3): 293. |
1973 |
|
|
| 8 |
Nagarjun. |
A preliminary note on halyun and its adulterant. |
Wahabur Rahman, Rahman, S, Afaq, SH, Hussain, SJ. |
|
21(11): 27-28. |
1978. |
|
|
|
 
|
|
