Horseradish
Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)
Horseradish, a hardy perennial plant known for the spicy flavor of the root, originated in eastern Europe (Kroener & Buettner, 2017). It can grow up to five feet tall, has bright green leaves that can grow up to three feet wide, and spreads through rhizomes. It also produces four-petaled white flowers. Records of horseradish cultivation date back to ancient Greece, and was discussed both by Dioscorides and in Pliny’s Natural History (Courter & Rhodes, 1969).
Historical Use
According to Culpepper’s English Physician (1789), Horseradish was used to treat scurvy, worms, sciatica, painful joints and “hard swellings of the liver and spleen.”
Current Use
The plant contains an enzyme known as horseradish peroxidase, which is used commercially in biochemistry applications, such as immunoassays (Nunavath et al., 2016). While evidence is limited, several studies found that horseradish shows promise in treating acute sinusitis, acute bronchitis, and acute urinary tract infection, particularly for strains of infection resistant to antibiotics (Goos et al., 2006; Mutters et al., 2018).
Latest Research
- Effects of a Prophylactic Treatment with Horseradish Root and Nasturtium Herb on Urinary Tract Infections in Individuals with Chronic Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction: A Retrospective Cohort Studyby Andrea Martina Bieri on September 1, 2024 at 10:00 am
CONCLUSION: Prophylactic treatment with horseradish root and nasturtium herb seems to be a promising option for the prevention of UTIs.
- Quantification and evaluation of kinetic bio-catalytic pathway of horseradish peroxidase in an electron mediated reaction system and its applications in plant extractsby Honnur Krishna on December 11, 2012 at 11:00 am
The intermolecular coupling of 2,5-dimethoxyaniline (DMA) as mediated electron transfer reaction in presence of H(2)O(2) and peroxidase in acetate buffer of pH 4.2 resulting green colored product having maximum absorption at λ(max)=740 nm was investigated by spectrophotometer. Under optimum conditions, linearity range for the quantification of H(2)O(2) was 2.0-288.0 μM and for peroxidase were 0.59-9.46 and 0.443-9.46 nM by kinetic and fixed-time method, respectively. The catalytic efficiency and…
- Efficacy and safety profile of a herbal drug containing nasturtium herb and horseradish root in acute sinusitis, acute bronchitis and acute urinary tract infection in comparison with other treatments in the daily practice/results of a prospective cohort studyby Karl-Heinz Goos on April 19, 2006 at 10:00 am
CONCLUSION: Therapy with the herbal drug in the indications acute sinusitis, acute bronchitis und acute urinary tract infection is – with regard to its efficacy comparable to the treatment with standard antibiotics. The application of supportive procedures and the administration of concurrent medication were less expressed in the group treated with the herbal drug. In the above mentioned indications the group treated with the herbal drug displayed a clear advantageous safety profile compared to…
- “Spicy protection” against germs and bacteriaon March 7, 2006 at 11:00 am
No abstract
- Anterograde transport of horseradish-peroxidase conjugated isolectin B4 from Griffonia simplicifolia I in spinal primary sensory neurons of the ratby H F Wang on November 7, 1998 at 11:00 am
Anterograde transport of the isolectin B4 from Griffonia simplicifolia I (B4) conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was investigated in rat somatic and visceral primary sensory neurons at different spinal levels. Injection of B4-HRP into the L5 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) resulted in labelling in the sural nerve, but not in the gastrocnemius nerves. Free nerve endings and lanceolate-like nerve endings were labelled in the lateral hindpaw skin. Labelled fibres were also observed in the…
References
Courter, J., & Rhodes, A. (1969). Historical notes on horseradish. Economic Botany, 23(2), 156-164.
Goos, K.-H., Albrecht, U., & Schneider, B. (2006). [Efficacy and safety profile of a herbal drug containing nasturtium herb and horseradish root in acute sinusitis, acute bronchitis and acute urinary tract infection in comparison with other treatments in the daily practice/results of a prospective cohort study]. Arzneimittel-Forschung, 56(3), 249–257. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0031-1296717
Kroener, E.-M., & Buettner, A. (2017). Unravelling important odorants in horseradish (Armoracia rusticana). Food Chemistry, 232, 455–465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.04.042
Mutters, N. T., Mampel, A., Kropidlowski, R., Biehler, K., Günther, F., Bălu, I., Malek, V., & Frank, U. (2018). Treating urinary tract infections due to MDR E. coli with Isothiocyanates – a phytotherapeutic alternative to antibiotics? Fitoterapia, 129, 237–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2018.07.012
Nunavath, H., Banoth, C., Talluri, V. R., & Bhukya, B. (2016). An analysis of horseradish peroxidase enzyme for effluent treatment. Bioinformation, 12(6), 318–323. https://doi.org/10.6026/97320630012318