Lepidium sativum (L. sativum) (Garden Cress, Fam: Cruciferae) is an annual erect herbaceous plant, growing up to 30 cm. It is a native shrub. Its seeds contain volatile essential aromatic oils, active principle and fatty oils and carbohydrate, protein, fatty acid, Vitamin: β‐carotene, riboflavin, and niacin, and ascorbic acid, Flavonoids, Isothiocynates and glycoside. It is a well known culinary herb and the leaves are widely used as a garnish and are consumed raw in salads. The plant is known to possess varied me-dicinal properties. Leaves of this plant are diuretic and gently stimulant. The seeds are aperient, diuretic, tonic, demulcent, aphrodisiac, carminative, galactagogue and emmenagogue. The seeds are rubefacient and are applied as a poultice for hurts and sprains . The plant also shows teratogenic effect and antiovulatory properties . The root is used in the treatment of secondary syphilis and tenesmus. A preliminary pharmacological study on seeds of L. sativum has sug-gested the presence of cardioactive substance and is shown to have probable action through adrenergic me-chanisms. The aqueous extract of L. sativum seeds has been reported to exhibit a potent hypoglycaemic activity in normal and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Aqueous extract of L. sativum was found to have antihypertensive and diuretic effect when studied both in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. The effectiveness of this plant in treatment of bronchial asthma, hiccups, cough with expectoration and bleeding piles has been reported . Seeds of L. sativum are prescribed by many Ayurvedic practitioners. The paste of seeds is applied in rheumatic joints to relieve the pain and swelling. It is also useful in hiccup, dysentery, and diarrhea and skin disease caused by impurities of blood .
Use of Garden cress in Traditional system:
As per traditional wisdom, garden cress helps as a healer in the following ways:
Ø One part of seeds added to twenty parts of boiling water or ten parts of cold water, when consumed orally is remedy for dysentery, diarrhea and skin disease caused by impurity of blood.
Ø People are also accustomed to making comfits with garden cress seeds, which are useful for expelling worms in old and young alike, for opening the mesenteric veins, for preventing apoplexy, purifying blood and for expelling mucous & sand from the kidneys.
Ø Powder of garden cress seeds with sugar can also be used to cure diarrhea, indigestion and dysentery. Seeds are recommended for the dispersion of chronic enlargement of spleen.
Ø A tea spoon full of garden cress seeds boiled in 6 ounces of water for ½ hour and the decoction with a table spoonful of honey is given as an effective medicine to increase breast milk, sexual stamina, and sexual retentivity.
Ø Seeds roasted in ghee and mixed with sugar are given as a tonic for general weakness in young girls and after child birth to increase breast milk.
Ø One teaspoon of seed juice obtained by grinding with one ounce of water mixed with a glassful of tender coconut water is given as a folk medicine to cure diarrhea, dysentery, bleeding piles, scanty urination due to liver disorders and irritation of the intestinal mucous membranes.
Ø The seeds roasted in till oil, and the seed oil as is used as analgesic medicated oil in gout, rheumatism, glandular swelling etc. Oil massaged over pains every night increase blood circulation and helps proper erection during conjugal union. It should be noted that this oil is counter irritant and therefore care must be taken to use a little at a time.
Ø Internally, candrasura is used with great benefit to alleviate the hiccup. The seeds (20 gm) are soaked in 250 ml. of sater and the cold infusion is recommended to sip frequently. This household remedy is very commonly used and is effective. This infusion also augments the quantity of urine, hence, mitigates dysuria.
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