Great nasturtiums

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Great nasturtiums
Nasturtium blossom (Tropaeolum majus)

Nasturtium blossom ( Tropaeolum majus )

Systematics
Rosids
Eurosiden II
Order : Cruciferous (Brassicales)
Family : Nasturtium family (Tropaeolaceae)
Genre : Nasturtium ( Tropaeolum )
Type : Great nasturtiums
Scientific name
Tropaeolum majus
L.
Large nasturtium, habitus
Great nasturtium ( Tropaeolum majus )
Great nasturtium ( Tropaeolum majus )

The great nasturtium ( Tropaeolum majus ) is an ornamental and useful plant. The widely creeping and occasionally climbing herbaceous plant is perennial , but is often cultivated as an annual because it is sensitive to frost . It is the Medicinal Plant of the Year 2013.

description

The great nasturtium forms prostrate, fleshy stems and becomes about 15 to 30 centimeters high. If it finds a suitable base, it can climb three meters high as a leaf stem tendril . The leaves are shield-shaped, with entire margins, the leaf blade is round to slightly kidney-shaped with a diameter of three to ten (occasionally up to 17) centimeters. Nine leaf veins extend from the leaf stalk, which attaches to the center of the leaf.

The flowers sit individually in the leaf axils on a six to 13 centimeter long flower stalk. They measure three to six inches and are yellow, orange, or red, often with darker spots. The five sepals are lanceolate and up to two inches long. The slightly curved spur measures about three centimeters. The two upper petals have entire margins, the lower three have fringes at the transition from the narrow base to the broad front part of the petal. The eight stamens are unevenly shaped and not grown together. The three carpels composite ovary carries a stylus , in a three-part scar ends. When ripe, the fruit breaks down into three single-seeded partial fruits.

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 22-28.

origin

The large nasturtium was created as a hybrid . The parent species are unclear, they come from western South America ( Brazil , Peru ), where they grow in floodplains and other humid places. The Inca used the plant as a pain reliever and wound healing agent.

Cultivation in Europe has been documented since 1684. Linnaeus described it in his work Species Plantarum in 1753 and gave it the scientific name Tropaeolum majus, which is still valid today .

use

Benzyl isothiocyanate (benzyl mustard oil , below, marked in blue ) is formed during the enzymatic conversion of the mustard oil glycoside glucotropaeolin, an ingredient in garden cress.

Use in the kitchen

Leaves, buds, flowers and seeds are edible and are reminiscent of watercress with their slightly peppery taste . Buds and unripe seeds can be used as a condiment , marinated or pickled, they can be used like capers . Leaves and flowers are usually served as a salad.

Use in herbal medicine

Nasturtiums are also used in herbal medicine because they u. a. Contains mustard oils (mustard oil glycosides), which have a bacteriostatic, virustatic and antifungal effect. They are particularly abundant in the cruciferous family (Brassicaceae) and related plants. Well-known representatives include horseradish, radishes, mustard and cress. The mustard oil glycosides are so-called secondary plant substances that plants use for their own protection. B. against feeding damage by pests or as a defense against pathogenic microorganisms.

In the 1950s, Winter and Willeke discovered the highly volatile, highly effective benzyl mustard oil , an antibiotic substance with a broad antimicrobial spectrum , in nasturtiums . Studies have shown that benzyl mustard oil from nasturtiums has an antibacterial effect on gram-positive (enterococci and staphylococci) and gram-negative germs ( Escherichia coli , Haemophilus influenzae , Proteus mirabilis , Acinetobacter , Enterobacter spp.). An antiviral effect of mustard oil from nasturtiums could also be observed. As early as 1958, scientific studies by Winter and Willeke on exembryonated hen's eggs under the influence of isothiocyanates from nasturtiums demonstrated a strong inhibition of the multiplication of influenza viruses. Benzyl mustard oil also has an antifungal effect on a variety of fungi and yeasts. Sprouts and other Candida species pathogenic to humans are also extremely sensitive.

According to the S3 guideline for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections, updated in 2017 , the use of medicinal products containing nasturtiums can be considered for frequently recurring cystitis .

pharmacology

The fresh or dried herb of the plant is used pharmaceutically. (Tropaeoli herba). The medicinal plant contains the active ingredient glucosinolate (mustard oil glycoside) glucotropaeolin, from which benzyl mustard oil (benzyl isothiocyanate) is produced through enzymatic cleavage. There are also ascorbic acid , flavonoids and carotenoids . The ingredients have a relatively broad spectrum of activity against various bacteria, but also have virus and fungus-inhibiting properties. Accordingly, nasturtium herb is used for the internal treatment of bronchitis and sinusitis as well as for the treatment of infections of the lower urinary tract. So far, no resistant germs have emerged. Externally, the plant is occasionally used as a blood circulation-enhancing agent for mild muscle pain and bruises. It is also used in acne therapy.

The large nasturtium was voted “Medicinal Plant of the Year 2013” ​​by scientists from the University of Würzburg (“Study Group Development History of Medicinal Plant Science”) in autumn 2012 with reference to the antibiotic mustard oils it contains.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Erich Oberdorfer : Plant-sociological excursion flora for Germany and neighboring areas . 8th edition. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3131-5 . Page 630.
  2. ↑ Nasturtium is Medicinal Plant of the Year. ( Memento from February 6, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Article in einBLICK, December 11, 2012 issue, online magazine of the University of Würzburg.
  3. ↑ H. Schilcher, S. Kammerer and T. Wegener: Guide to Phytotherapy. Urban & Fischer publishing house, Munich-Jena, 2007, pp. 142,143
  4. ↑ B. Watzl: Glucosinolate. In: Nutrition Umschau 48 (8), 2001
  5. ↑ G. Metz: Glucosinolate - Scharfmacher mit Profil , Pharmazeutische Zeitung 44, 2000
  6. ↑ AG Winter and L. Willeke: The excretion of an antibiotic active ingredient from the nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) , In: Medicinal research . 7, 1957, pp. 692-694
  7. ↑ AG Winter: Antibiotic Therapy with Medicinal Plants , In: Planta Medica . 3, 1955
  8. ↑ A. Gaase: Bacteriological sensitivity tests of an antibiotic , In: Ärztliche Praxis. 20, 1968, pp. 667-668
  9. ↑ RJ Schaffer: Studies on the in-vitro effectiveness of benzyl mustard oil against pathogenic bacteria and sprouts , dissertation 1980, Hygiene Institute, University of Cologne
  10. ↑ Th. Halbeisen: Investigations of the active ingredient of a higher plant (Tropaeolum maius - nasturtium) , Die Medizinische, 1954, pp. 1212-1215
  11. ↑ H. Dannenberg et al .: About the antimicrobial substance of the nasturtium , Hoppe-Seyler's Z. Physiol. Chem. 303, 1956, pp. 248-256
  12. ↑ KD Rudat and JM Loepelmann: About the bacteria-inhibiting effect of the antibiotic substances contained in nasturtiums, especially against aerobic spore-forming agents. In: Pharmacy. 10, 1955, pp. 729-732
  13. ^ Siegfried Bäumler: Medicinal Plant Practice Today: Portraits, Recipes, Application. Elsevier, Urban & Fischer , 2006, ISBN 978-3-437-57270-8 , pp. 232 & 233 online
  14. ↑ AG Winter and L. Willeke: Studies on the influence of mustard oils on the multiplication of the influenza virus in exembryonated chicken eggs , Arch. Mikrobiol . 31, 1958, pp. 311-318
  15. ↑ AB Macura et al .: Therapeutic effect of bencyl isothiocyanate on systemic candida infections in mice , Drugs Exptl. Clin. Res. 2, 1980, pp. 71-75
  16. ↑ S3 guideline uncomplicated urinary tract infections - update 2017 (interdisciplinary S3 guideline "Epidemiology, diagnosis, therapy, prevention and management of uncomplicated, bacterial, community-acquired urinary tract infections in adult patients", AWMF register no. 043/044)
  17. ↑ Ursel Bühring: Practical textbook for modern medicinal plants , Sonntag-Verlag 2005, p. 343. ISBN 3-8304-9097-6

literature

  • Eckehart J. Jäger, Friedrich Ebel, Peter Hanelt, Gerd K. Müller (eds.): Excursion flora from Germany . 5. Herbaceous ornamental and useful plants. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg 2008, ISBN 978-3-8274-0918-8 , pp. 379 .
  • Liu Quanru, Lihua Zhou: Tropaeolaceae . In: Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven (Ed.): Flora of China . tape 11 . Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, S. 33 ( eFloras.org [accessed April 10, 2008] 1994+).
  • Ingrid and Peter Schönfelder : The new handbook of medicinal plants. Franckh-Kosmos Verlagsgesellschaft, 2004, ISBN 3-440-09387-5
  • K. Hiller, MF Melzig: Lexicon of medicinal plants and drugs. 2nd Edition. 2010, Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, ISBN 978-3-8274-2053-4

See also

Web links

Commons : Nasturtium ( Tropaeolum majus )  - album with pictures, videos and audio files