Abstract
Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a popular vegetable, spice and medicinal plant. We aimed to collect data about its cultivation, ethnomedicinal and culinary applications in a horseradish-producing region in Hungary and 32 villages in Romania. Horseradish roots are used in ethnomedicine for sore throat, asthma, cough and flu in both areas, alone or in combination with e.g. honey. In Transylvania, additional applications included digestive problems, pleuritis, and rheuma in various forms. The leaf and the grated root is for toothache and fever. Some applications were novel, others matched earlier records from these areas and those of other European countries. In ethnoveterinary practice, the root is used against roaring of horses in all regions. It is traditionally consumed in a soup in Hungary, as pickles, and the leaf in Transylvania. The root samples of the region of interest showed typical chemical pattern of horseradish roots, as shown by GC–MS: allyl isothiocyanate and 2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate were present in high amounts. The presented ethnomedicinal data are supported by a growing body of scientific evidence—pharmacological data available on the isothiocyanates. Data on antimicrobial activity support use in gastritis (Helicobacter pylori) and dental caries, while data on efficacy in inflammatory conditions justify the applications in diseases asthma and respiratory system infections. Our study presented scientific evidence-supported ethnomedicinal data on horseradish rich in bioactive isothiocyanates.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agneta R, Moellers C, Rivelli A (2013) Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana), a neglected medical and condiment species with a relevant glucosinolate profile: a review. Genet Resour Crop Evol 60(7):1923–1943. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-013-0010-4
Bárth MJ (ed) (2018) Database of Transylvanian historical place names and interactive linguistic map, based on Attila Szabó T.’s collection of place names. http://eha.elte.hu/en/eha.php
Bladh KW, Olsson KM (2011) Introduction and use of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) as food and medicine from antiquity to the present: emphasis on the Nordic Countries. J Herbs Spices Med Plants 17(3):197–213. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496475.2011.595055
Boris Gy (2010) Népi gyógynövényismeret a székelyföldi Lövétén (Ethnobotanical data in Lueta). Bachelor’s Thesis, University of Pécs, Pécs
Borza A (1968) Dictionar etnobotanic. Editura Academiei Republicii Socialiste Romania, Bucharest, p 317
Bruggeman IM, Temmink JHM, van Bladeren Pj (1986) Glutathione- and cysteine-mediated cytotoxicity of allyl and benzyl isothiocyanate. Toxicol Appl Pharm 83(2):349–359. https://doi.org/10.1016/0041-008X(86)90312-1
Butura V (1979) Encilopedie de etnobotanică românească. Editura Ştiinţifică şi Enciclopedică, Bucharest, p 282
Cheung KL, Kong AN (2010) Molecular targets of dietary phenethyl isothiocyanate and sulforaphane for cancer chemoprevention. AAPS J 12(1):87–97. https://doi.org/10.1208/s12248-009-9162-8
Courter JW, Rhodes AM (1969) Historical notes on horseradish. Econ Bot 23(2):156–164
D’Auria M, Mauriello G, Racioppi R (2004) SPME-GC-MS analysis of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana). Ital J Food Sci 16(4):487–490
Dekić MS, Radulović NS, Stojanović NM, Randjelović PJ, Stojanović-Radić ZZ, Najman S, Stojanović S (2017) Spasmolytic, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of 5-phenylpentyl isothiocyanate, a new glucosinolate autolysis product from horseradish (Armoracia rusticana P. Gaertn., B. Mey. et Scherb., Brassicaceae). Food Chem 232:329–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.03.150
Dénes T, Tóth M, Gyergyák K, Lőrincz P, Varga E, Papp N (2014) Szemelvények Homoródalmás (Erdély) népi gyógynövényismeretéből (Ethnobotanical data in Mereşti, Transylvania). Bot Közl 101(1–2):227–241
Facchinetti F, Patacchini R (2010) The rising role of TRPA1 in asthma. Open Drug Discov J 2(SPEC. ISS.2):71–80. https://doi.org/10.2174/1877381801002030071
Fahey JW, Stephenson KK, Wade KL, Talalay P (2013) Urease from Helicobacter pylori is inactivated by sulforaphane and other isothiocyanates. Biochem Biophys Res Com 435(1):1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2013.03.126
Fancsali I (2010) Reevaluarea actiunii plantelor medicinale folosite in etnomedicina din bazinul superior al Trotusului (Ghimes) (Ethnobotanical data in Ghimes). Master’s Thesis, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Tîrgu Mureş, Tîrgu Mureş
Géczi L (1998) A torma termesztése (cultivation of horseradish). Mezőgazdasági Szaktudás Kiadó, Budapest, p 100
Gees M, Alpizar YA, Boonen B, Sanchez A, Everaerts W, Segal A, Xue F, Janssens A, Owsianik G, Nilius B, Voets T, Talavera K (2013) Mechanisms of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 activation and sensitization by allyl isothiocyanate. Mol Pharmacol 84(3):325–334. https://doi.org/10.1124/mol.113.085548
Gelfand EW (2017) Importance of the leukotriene B4-BLT1 and LTB4-BLT2 pathways in asthma. Semin Immunol 33:44–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smim.2017.08.005
Gonda S, Kiss-Szikszai A, Zs Szűcs, Nguyen NM, Vasas G (2016) Myrosinase compatible simultaneous determination of glucosinolates and allyl isothiocyanate by capillary electrophoresis micellar electrokinetic chromatography (CE-MEKC). Phytochem Anal 27(3–4):191–198. https://doi.org/10.1002/pca.2615
Grynaeus T, Szabó LGy (2002) A bukovinai hadikfalvi székelyek növényei I. (Plants of the Széklers in Dorneşti in Bucovina). Gyógyszerészet 46:251–259
Guarrera PM (2006) Usi e tradizioni della flora italiana. Medicina popolare ed etnobotanica. Ed. Aracne, Rome, p 436
Halász P (2010) Növények a moldvai magyarok hagyományában és mindennapjaiban (Plants in the tradition and everyday life of the Hungarians in Moldova). General Press, Budapest, p 516
Herz C, Tran HTT, Márton MR, Maul R, Baldermann S, Schreiner M, Lamy W (2017) Evaluation of an aqueous extract from horseradish root (Armoracia rusticana Radix) against lipopolysaccharide-induced cellular inflammation reaction. Evid Based Complement Altern. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1950692
Ioannou YM, Burka LT, Matthews HB (1984) Allyl isothiocyanate: comparative disposition in rats and mice. Toxicol Appl Pharm 75(2):173–181
Irinyiné OK (2012) Különböző tormafajták és vonalak fajtakörönkénti jellemzése (Description of different horseradish based on the variety of species). Dissertation, Corvinus University of Budapest, Budapest. http://phd.lib.uni-corvinus.hu/632/1/Irinyine_Olah_Katalin.pdf
ISE (2007) International Society of Ethnobiology. The code of ethics of the International Society of Ethnobiology. 2007. http://www.ethnobiology.net/global_coalition/ethics.php (Verified 31 Jan 2010)
Ivancheva S, Stantcheva B (2000) Ethnobotanical inventory of medicinal plants in Bulgaria. J Ethnopharmacol 69:165–172
Jarić S, Jocić MM, Djurdjević L, Mitrović M, Kostić O, Karadžić B, Pavlović P (2015) An ethnobotanical survey of traditionally used plants on Suva planina mountain (south-eastern Serbia). J Ethnopharmacol 175:93–108
Kalle R, Sõukand R (2012) Historical ethnobotanical review of wild edible plants of Estonia (1770 s–1960 s). Acta Soc Bot Pol 81(4):271–281
Kalle R, Sõukand R (2013) Wild plants eaten in childhood: a retrospective of Estonia in the 1970 s–1990s. Bot J Linn Soc 172:239–253
Keszeg V (1981) A mezőségi Detrehemtelep népi gyógyászata (Ethnomedicine in Colonia in Câmpia Transilvaniei). Kriterion, Bucharest, Népism dolg, pp 97–117
Ko MO, Kim MB, Lim SB (2016) Relationship between chemical structure and antimicrobial activities of isothiocyanates from cruciferous vegetables against oral pathogens. J Microbiol Biotech 26(12):2036–2042. https://doi.org/10.4014/jmb.1606.06008
Kóczián G, Pintér I, Szabó LGy (1975) Adatok a gyimesi csángók népi gyógyászatához (Ethnobotanical data of the Csángós in Ghimes). Gyógyszerészet 19:226–230
Kovács BS, Kovács J (2009) A Sárköz népi táplálkozása (Traditional nutrition in Sárköz). Wosinszky Mór Múzeum Évkönyve, Szekszárd 31:177–268
Leporatti ML, Ivancheva A (2003) Preliminary comparative analysis of medicinal plants used in the traditional medicine of Bulgaria and Italy. J Ethnopharmacol 87:123–142
Łuczaj Ł (2008) Archival data on wild food plants used in Poland in 1948. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 4(1):4. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-4-4
Łuczaj Ł (2010a) Changes in the utilization of wild green vegetables in Poland since the 19th century: a comparison of four ethnobotanical surveys. J Ethnopharmacol 128:395–404
Łuczaj Ł (2010b) Plant identification credibility in ethnobotany: a closer look at Polish ethnographic studies. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 6:36. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-6-36
Łuczaj Ł (2012) Ethnobotanical review of wild edible plants of Slovakia. Acta Soc Bot Pol 81(4):245–255
Łuczaj Ł, Szymanski WM (2007) Wild vascular pants gathered from consumption in the Polish countryside: a review. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 3:17. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-3-17
Łuczaj Ł, Köhler P, Pirożnikow E, Graniszewska M, Pieroni A, Gervas T (2013) Wild edible plants of Belarus: from Rostafiński’s questionnaire of 1883 to the present. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 9:21. http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/9/1/21
Martin GJ (2007) Ethnobotany. A methods manual. Earthscan, London, pp 36–54
Marzocco SL, Calabrone SA, Larocca M, Franceschelli S, Autore G, Martelli G, Rossano R (2015) Anti-inflammatory activity of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) root extracts in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Food Funct 6(12):3778–3788. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5fo00475f
Masuda S, Masuda H, Shimamura Y, Sugiyama C, Takabayashi F (2017) Improvement effects of Wasabi (Wasabia japonica) leaves and allyl isothiocyanate on stomach lesions of Mongolian gerbils infected with Helicobacter pylori. Nat Prod Commun 12(4):595–598
Miller A, Sampliner D (2008) Horseradish collecting trip. https://sites.google.com/site/ajmiller4233
Mukhopadhyay I, Kulkarni A, Khairatkar-Joshi N (2016) Blocking TRPA1 in respiratory disorders: Does it hold a promise? Pharmaceuticals 9(4):70. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph9040070
Mustafa B, Hajdari A, Pajazita Q, Syla B, Quave CL, Pieroni A (2012) An ethnobotanical survey of the Gollak region, Kosovo. Genet Resour Crop Evol 59:739–754
Nakao S, Mabuchi M, Wang S, Kogure Y, Shimizu T, Noguchi K, Tanaka A, Dai Y (2017) Synthesis of resveratrol derivatives as new analgesic drugs through desensitization of the TRPA1 receptor. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 27(14):3167–3172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmcl.2017.05.025
Nguyen NM, Gonda S, Vasas G (2013) A review on the phytochemical composition and potential medicinal uses of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) root. Food Rev Int 29:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/87559129.2013.790047
Nitsche MP, Carreño M (2016) Is honey an effective treatment for acute cough in children? Medwave 16:e6454. https://doi.org/10.5867/medwave.2016.6454
Papp N, Bartha S, Gy Boris, Balogh L (2011) Traditional use of medicinal plants for respiratory diseases in Transylvania. Nat Prod Commun 6(150):1459–1460
Papp N, Birkás-Frendl K, Farkas Á, Pieroni A (2013) An ethnobotanical study on home gardens in a Transylvanian Hungarian Csángó village (Romania). Genet Resour Crop Evol 60:1423–1432
Péntek J, Szabó TA (1985) Ember és növényvilág. Kalotaszeg növényzete és népi növényismerete (People and plants: vegetation and rural botanical knowledge in Ţara Călatei). Bucharest, Kriterion, p 368
Penuelas A, Tashima K, Tsuchiya S, Matsumoto K, Nakamura T, Horie S, Yano S (2007) Contractile effect of TRPA1 receptor agonists in the isolated mouse intestine. Eur J Pharmacol 576(1):143–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2007.08.015
Petrović S, Drobac M, Ušjak L, Filipović V, Milenković M, Niketić M (2017) Volatiles of roots of wild-growing and cultivated Armoracia macrocarpa and their antimicrobial activity, in comparison to horseradish, A. rusticana. Ind Crop Prod 109(Supplement C):398–403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2017.08.056
Pieroni A, Quave CL (2005) Traditional pharmacopoeias and medicine among Albanians and Italians in southern Italy: a comparison. J Ethnopharmacol 101:258–270
Pieroni A, Gray C (2008) Herbal and food folk medicines of the Russlanddeutschen living in Künzelsau/Taläcker, South-Western Germany. Phytother Res 22(7):889–901
Pieroni A, Quave CL, Santoro RF (2004) Folk pharmaceutical knowledge in the territory of the Dolomiti Lucane, inland southern Italy. J Ethnopharmacol 95(2–3):373–384
Pieroni A, Nebel S, Santoro RF, Heinrich M (2005) Food for two seasons: culinary uses of non-cultivatedlocal vegetables and mushrooms in a south Italian village. Int J Food Sci Nutr 56(4):245–272
Pieroni A, Giusti ME, Quave CL (2011) Cross-cultural ethnobiology in the Western Balkans: medical ethnobotany and ethnozoology among albaniansand serbs in the Pešter Plateau, Sandžak, South-Western Serbia. Hum Ecol 39:333–349
Priszter Sz (1998) Plant names (Növényneveink). Mezőgazda Kiadó, Budapest, p 306
Rab J (1982) Újabb népgyógyászati adatok Gyimesből (New ethnomedicinal data in Ghimes). Gyógyszerészet 26:325–333
Rab J (2001) Népi növényismeret a Gyergyói-medencében (Ethnobotany in Gheorgheni). Pallas-Akadémia, Miercurea Ciuc, p 250
Rask L, Andréasson E, Ekbom B, Eriksson S, Pontoppidan B, Meijer J (2000) Myrosinase: gene family evolution and herbivore defense in brassicaceae. In: Doyle JJ, Gaut BS (eds) Plant molecular evolution, vol 42(1). Springer, Dordrecht, pp 93–113. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4221-2_5
Sampliner D, Miller A (2009) Ethnobotany of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana, Brassicaceae) and its wild relatives (Armoracia spp.): reproductive biology and local uses in their native ranges. Econ Bot 63(3):303–313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-009-9088-1
Šarić-Kundalić B, Christoph Dobe C, Klatte-Asselmeyer V, Saukel J (2010) Ethnobotanical study on medicinal use of wild and cultivated plants in middle, south and west Bosnia and Herzegovina. J Ethnopharmacol 131:33–55
Shehata A, Mulwa RMS, Babadoost M, Uchanski M, Norton MA, Skirvin R, Walters SA (2009) Horseradish: botany, horticulture, breeding. In: Janick J (ed) Horticultural reviews. Wiley, New York, pp 221–261. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470593776.ch4
Shin IS, Masuda H, Naohide K (2004) Bactericidal activity of Wasabi (Wasabia japonica) against Helicobacter pylori. Int J Food Microbiol 94(3):255–261
Sõukand R, Andrea Pieroni A, Biró M, Dénes A, Dogan Y, Hajdari A, Kalle R, Reade B, Mustafa B, Nedelcheva A, Cassandra L, Quave CL, Łuczaj Ł (2015) An ethnobotanical perspective on traditional fermented plant foods and beverages in Eastern Europe. J Ethnopharmacol 170:284–296
Szabó TA (ed) (1978) Melius Juhász Péter: Herbarium (1578, Cluj-Napoca, Heltai Gáspárné). Kriterion, Bucharest, p 437
Szabó TA, Bíró Zs (2000) Ars Medica Electronica: Váradi Lencsés György (1530 − 1593). CD-ROM. BioTár Electronic, Gramma 3.1. & 3.2. BioTár Electronic – Gramma-1539. MTA–EME–BDF–VE, Budapest, Kolozsvár, Szombathely, Veszprém
Vajkai A (1943) Népi orvoslás a Borsavölgyében (Ethnomedicine in Borsa-valley). Erdélyi Tudományos Intézet, Kolozsvár, p 198
Walters SA, Wahle EA (2010) Horseradish production in Illinois. Hort Technol 20(2):267–276
Walther J (1959) Treatment of diseases of the respiratory tract with an extract from Cochlearia armoracia (horseradish). Medizinische 4(2):78–79
Acknowledgements
The authors thank to the informants for sharing their traditional knowledge. The study was in part supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA) 124339 grant which is greatly acknowledged, the European Union and the European Social Fund through project EFOP-3.6.1-16-2016-00022, and the Research Grant of the University of Pécs (PTE ÁOK KA-2017-27).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Papp, N., Gonda, S., Kiss-Szikszai, A. et al. Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological data of Armoracia rusticana P. Gaertner, B. Meyer et Scherb. in Hungary and Romania: a case study. Genet Resour Crop Evol 65, 1893–1905 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-018-0663-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-018-0663-0