Botanical Index No. 1089

Watercress

nasturtium officinale r. brown

Medicinal Actions

Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antidote, Antiimplantation, Antimitotic, Antisarcomic, Antiseptic, Antitumor, Cholagogue, Contraceptive, Decongestant, Depurative, Detoxicant, Digestive, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Expectorant, Goitrogenic, Stimulant, Tonic

Primary Conditions Treated

nicotine Aperitif Bitter Vermifuge Vulnerary Acne Adenopathy Alopecia Anemia Anorexia Anthrax Arthrosis Ascites Asthenia Asthma Bacteria Blemish Boil Bronchosis Cancer breast esophagus face gland lung nose Cardiopathy Catarrh Cold Congestion Cough Cystosis Dermatosis Diabetes Dropsy Dyscrasia Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Earache Eczema Exanthema Fever Freckle Gingivosis Glossosis Goiter Gout Gravel Head Cold Hepatosis Herpes Infection Inflammation Insomnia Ischiosis Jaundice Kidney Stone Lethargy Liver Fluke Liver Spot Mucososis Nephrosis Nervousness Polyp Pulmonosis Respirosis Rheumatism Rhinosis Scrofula Scurvy Sore Sore Throat Splenosis Staphylococcus Stomatosis Stone Strangury Swelling Toothache Tuberculosis Tumor UTI Wart Water Retention Wen Worm

General Dosage

Food farmacy, eat some almost every day but don’t overdo it. 4–6 g dry herb/day; 2 g fresh herb/cup tea; 20–30 g fresh herb/day; 20–30 g fresh herb up to 3 ×/day; 60–150 g freshly pressed plant juice; 4 tbsp fresh plant juice with cold Guazuma bark tea with 4 tbsp red wine 2–3 ×/day; 2–3 cups preprandial herb tea, 2 g steeped 10–15 minutes in 150 ml boiled water. Food farmacy, eat some almost every day but don’t overdo it. 4–6 g dry herb/day; 2 g fresh herb/cup tea; 20–30 g fresh herb/day; 20–30 g fresh herb up to 3 ×/day; 60–150 g freshly pressed plant juice; 4 tbsp fresh plant juice with cold Guazuma bark tea with 4 tbsp red wine 2–3 ×/day; 2–3 cups preprandial herb tea, 2 g steeped 10–15 minutes in 150 ml boiled water.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 2b, 2d.“Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages”. KOM and PH2 report contraindications: peptic ulcer, and nephrosis; not to be used by children younger than 4 years; adverse effects: GI complaints. Since it is viewed as an emmenagogue and uterocontractant, it is contraindicated in pregnancy. Irritation of gastric mucosa may develop following chronic ingestion of large quantities. I suspect that much of what is said here could be said about horseradish, wasabi, and even the milder crucifers, such as the wholesome broccoli, etc.. Plants become bitter in flowering, better for medicine, worse for food.

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