An annual herbaceous bare plant of the cabbage (cruciferous) family. The stem is erect, 20-40 cm tall, branched in the upper part. Basal leaves pinnate, with obovate solid or incised sharp segments. Stem leaves alternate, petiolate or sessile (upper), narrowed or rounded at the base; the lower leaves are pinnate or bipinnate, with toothed segments, the middle ones are three-parted, the upper ones are linear, sharp. The flowers are regular, bisexual, 4-petalled, collected in simple elongated clusters; corolla white or reddish. The fruit is a round-oval pod. Blooms from May to July.
Spread. In the wild state, the sow sedum is not found. Comes from Iran, the Middle East. On the territory of Ukraine, horseradish is cultivated as a vegetable plant. It is occasionally found wild in weedy places.
Procurement and storage . For medicinal purposes, basal leaves, young shoots in the phase of the beginning of shooting, and seeds of horseradish are used. Leaves and shoots are used raw as a salad, mixed with other salads, with sandwiches, as a seasoning for meat dishes and soups, etc.
The plant is unofficial .
Chemical composition. The above-ground part of the rhizome contains ascorbic acid and carotene (130 and 4.8 mg in fresh leaves, respectively), tocopherols, riboflavin, flavonoids (glycosides of kaempferol and quercetin), mustard oil (0.1%), isothiocyanates (benzyl glucosinolate, 2 -phenylethyl-glucosinolate; in the hydrolyzate: benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, phenylacetonitrile, benzylisothiocyanate, benzylthiocyanate, 3-phenylpropionitrile, 2-phenylethylcyanide, toluene, butyl acetate, ethylbenzene, 2-methylbutanol, pentan-1-ol, styrene, cis-3- hexen-1-ol) macro- and microelements (potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, iodine, etc.). Moringa seeds contain triterpenoids cucurbitacins, steroids: B-sitosterol, D-avenasterol, campesterin, 24-methylenecholesterol, cholesterol, stigmasterol; isothiocyanates: allyl glucosinolate, 2-phenylethyl glucosinolate, benzyl glucosinolate and glucotropeolin, in the hydrolyzate – benzyl cyanide, benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, benzyl isothiocyanate, allyl isothiocyanate, benzyl thiocyanate, 2-phenylethyl cyanide, acetone, xylene, 2-methylbutan-1-ol, ethyltoluene, pentan-1-ol, styrene, isobutylbenzene, methyl benzoate, benzyl methyl sulfide, benzyl mercaptan; mucus, which contains xyloaraban, cellulose, acidic polysaccharide, L-arabinose, D-xylose, D-galactose, L-rhamnose, D-galacturonic and 4-0-methyl-gluconic acids; fatty oil, which includes the following acids: oleic, linolenic, eicosene, palmitic, linoleic, erucic, stearic, eicosadiene, behenic, palmitoleic and myristic. which contains xyloaraban, cellulose, acidic polysaccharide, L-arabinose, D-xylose, D-galactose, L-rhamnose, D-galacturonic and 4-0-methyl-gluconic acids; fatty oil, which includes the following acids: oleic, linolenic, eicosene, palmitic, linoleic, erucic, stearic, eicosadiene, behenic, palmitoleic and myristic. which contains xyloaraban, cellulose, acidic polysaccharide, L-arabinose, D-xylose, D-galactose, L-rhamnose, D-galacturonic and 4-0-methyl-gluconic acids; fatty oil, which includes the following acids: oleic, linolenic, eicosene, palmitic, linoleic, erucic, stearic, eicosadiene, behenic, palmitoleic and myristic.
Pharmacological properties and use . The scope of the curative effect of chervil is insignificant. It exhibits antibacterial and diuretic effects, improves digestion. With its systematic use, sleep improves and blood pressure decreases. In dietary nutrition, horseradish is used as an anti-scurvy agent, in cases of hypo- and vitamin deficiency. Ointment from horseradish seeds is used to treat purulent wounds, scrotal ulcers, and scabies.
Medicinal forms and applications.
Externally – an ointment (prepared from dried crushed seeds and lard in a ratio of 1:5) to lubricate the affected areas of the body.