A Narrative Review on Therapeutic Potentials of Watercress in Human Disorders

Abstract

Watercress (WC) is an aquatic vegetable that belongs to the Brassicaceae family, and it often grows near water. In traditional medicine, WC is a known remedy for hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, arthritis, bronchitis, diuresis, odontalgia, and scurvy. It also acts as an antiestrogenic and can be used as a nutritional supplement. It has been reported that these therapeutic effects are due to primary metabolites such as isothiocyanates, glucosinolates, polyphenols (flavonoids, phenolic acids, and proanthocyanidins), vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, E, and C), terpenes (including carotenoids), and bioelements which exist in this plant. Many pharmacological studies confirm the antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer, antipsoriatic, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, renoprotective, hepatoprotective, and antigenotoxicity effects of WC. The consumption of WC extract can be useful in reducing the complications of hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia. Furthermore, the extract of WC could markedly augment the antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and catalase activity. Interestingly, consumption of food rich in polyphenols such as WC extract can help reduce oxidative stress, DNA damage, and cancer susceptibility. Several studies also showed that WC extract significantly reduced liver injury as a result of cholestatic hepatic injury, gamma radiation, arsenic, and acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity. In this review, the researchers focus on the phytochemical and biochemical characterizations of WC and its therapeutic effects in the treatment of human diseases.

Polyphenolics, glucosinolates and isothiocyanates profiling of aerial parts of Nasturtium officinale (Watercress)

“…However, our data also shown the presence of increased levels of quercetin-3-rutinoside, isorhamnetin and kaempferol-3- O -rutinoside in watercress flowers. Overall, our data are in agreement with the work of others although they are lacking data regarding the localization of these metabolites ( Zeb, 2015 ; Ma et al., 2021 ; Panahi Kokhdan et al., 2021 ). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report which provides a comprehensive analysis of the content of a library of GLs, ITCs, phenolic acids and flavonoids in the aerial parts of watercress.…”

An Overview of Registered Clinical Trials on Glucosinolates and Human Health: The Current Situation

“…One possible explanation could be related to their limited human consumption and generally restricted to certain populations. However, the effects of these brassica vegetables on human health have been investigated in the past both through observational and intervention studies (70)(71)(72). The main topics included the evaluation of oxidative stress and cardiometabolic markers.…”

A Naturally Derived Watercress Flower-Based Phenethyl Isothiocyanate-Enriched Extract Induces the Activation of Intrinsic Apoptosis via Subcellular Ultrastructural and Ca2+ Efflux Alterations in an In Vitro Model of Human Malignant Melanoma

“…In various epidemiological studies, the positive correlation between supplementation with watercress and risk reduction for various diseases has been emphasized [ 1 , 2 ]. For example, various studies have documented its use against hyperglycemia, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, odontalgia, scurvy, bronchitis, diuresis and arthritis [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. In addition, the anticancer potency of watercress has been intensively studied by various groups [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ] and was shown to rely on its high content of (i) aliphatic, indolyl and aromatic isothiocyanates (ITCs; secondary metabolites yielded from the hydrolysis of their precursor molecules (glucosinolates) via the action of myrosinase) and (ii) various polyphenolic compounds (e.g., quercetin-3- O -rutinoside, p -coumaric and ferulic acid) [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ].…”