Herb's Introduction
Rorippa indica (L.) Hiern, commonly known as Indian Yellow-cress or Indian Marshcress, is a significant wild herb belonging to the family Brassicaceae (Mustard family). This plant is valued both as an unconventional food plant and a traditional medicinal plant across many parts of Asia. It is generally an annual or sometimes a perennial herb, often found growing in moist, disturbed, or wetland areas. It is known for its mild peppery flavour, typical of the mustard family, and is consumed as a leafy vegetable. The herb is also utilized in folk medicine for a variety of ailments.
Name in Different Countries
Scientific Name: Rorippa indica (L.) Hiern English: Yellow-cress, Indian Yellow-cress, Indian Cress, Indian Field-Cress, Variableleaf yellow-cress Hindi: Chamsuru Kannada: kaadu saasive Nepali: पहेलो झार (Pahelo jhar), तोरी घाँस (Tori ghans) Telugu: అడవి ఆవాలు (Adavi aavaalu) Tamil: Kattu-kadugu (காட்டு கடுகு) Unani: Khoobkalaan
Terminology
Family: Brassicaceae (Cruciferae or Mustard family). This family is known for producing compounds called glucosinolates, which often give the plants a pungent or peppery taste. Botanical Status: Rorippa indica is a recognized species with numerous synonyms, reflecting past taxonomic confusion, such as Nasturtium indicum and Sisymbrium indicum. Common Name Significance: The common names "Yellow-cress" and "Marshcress" refer to its typically yellow flowers and preference for wet habitats, respectively.
Availability
Native Range and Distribution: The species has a wide native range, spanning from West-Central Tropical Africa and North Egypt to Japan and the Philippines. It is widely distributed across the Himalaya, India, Southeast Asia, and is listed in the Annotated Checklist of the Flowering Plants of Nepal (occurring in Nepal at altitudes ranging from 900–2600 m). Habitat: Rorippa indica is typically found in rather wet places, such as roadsides, field margins, gardens, and river banks, indicating its nature as a wetland-associated or "hydrophytic" plant. Cultivation Status: It is primarily harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.
External Look
Habit: It is an annual or sometimes perennial herb, growing erect or semi-erect, reaching heights generally between 6 to 60 (or up to 75) cm. The stem is often branched. Leaves: The basal and lower leaves are larger, stalked, and often pinnately cut (lyrate-pinnatipartite) or irregularly toothed. Upper leaves are typically smaller, shortly stalked or stalkless, lance-shaped, and may have an entire or serrated margin, often with an acute apex. Flowers: The flowers are small, approximately 2.5–5 mm across, and bright yellow. They grow in elongated racemes (clusters). The petals are typically slightly longer than the sepals. Fruit: The fruit is a characteristic narrow, elongated, linear seed capsule called a siliqua. It is usually 10–25 mm long and about 1–1.5 mm wide, often slightly curved upward, containing numerous minute, sub-biseriate (nearly two rows) seeds.
Healing Properties
The plant is considered to possess a range of medicinal properties, which are often attributed to its rich content of glucosinolates and flavonoids. These properties include: Diuretic: Promoting increased urine production. Expectorant: Aiding in the removal of mucus from the respiratory tract. Anti-inflammatory: Reducing swelling and pain. Antiscorbutic: Containing or preventing scurvy (historically, due to Vitamin C content, though not explicitly stated for this species). Depurative: Purifying or cleansing the blood. Hypoglycemic: Potential to lower blood sugar levels. Laxative/Purgative: Promoting bowel movements (especially the seeds). Cancer Preventive: Research has explored potential cancer-preventive or cytotoxic activities in related Rorippa species extracts.
Advantages
The primary advantages of Rorippa indica stem from its dual use and chemical composition: Nutritional Value: Tender young leaves and stems are edible and used as a nutritious vegetable, both raw and cooked. Chemical Richness: It is a rich source of various glucosinolates and flavonol glycosides, which are bioactive compounds linked to its medicinal effects. Traditional Remedy: It serves as an accessible traditional remedy for common ailments, particularly in rural and ethnic communities across its distribution. Pesticidal Potential: Studies have identified a defensin protein (RiD) in the plant which shows efficacy against mustard aphids, suggesting a role in plant defense and potential for developing natural pesticides.
Uses
Folk Medicine: Used for a wide range of conditions, including cough, diarrhea, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, chronic catarrh, and pyorrhea. Specific Ailments: Traditionally applied to treat toothaches, abscesses, and scald burns. Organ-Specific Uses: The seeds are specifically used as a laxative. In some regions, leaf juice mixed with honey is used for asthma, and seed juice with milk is used for kidney trouble. Edibility: Consumed raw, sautéed, or cooked as a vegetable in many Asian countries.
Using Way
The herb is primarily used in traditional settings in the following ways: As a Vegetable: The tender young leaves and stems are eaten, often cooked or sautéed, but can also be consumed raw. Juice: The fresh leaf juice is extracted and sometimes mixed with other ingredients like honey for specific treatments like asthma. The seed juice (mixed with milk) is used for kidney issues. Decoction/Infusion: The whole plant or various parts may be used to prepare traditional decoctions or infusions for internal consumption (e.g., for cough, diarrhea, or as a diuretic). External Application: The plant (or its parts) is likely prepared as a poultice or paste for external use on conditions like abscesses or scald burns.
Conclusion
Rorippa indica, the Indian Yellow-cress, is a resilient and globally distributed herb of the Brassicaceae family, holding substantial value as both a wild edible and a folk medicine ingredient. From Nepal to the Philippines, its leaves provide a nutritious vegetable while its chemical compounds offer traditional remedies for ailments ranging from respiratory issues and inflammation to gastrointestinal problems. Its rich composition of glucosinolates and flavonoids underlines its biological activity, cementing its status as a vital component of traditional ethnomedicine and a subject of modern research. Its widespread availability and multiple uses make it an important, yet often overlooked, herbaceous resource.
