Nasturtium officinalis water extract. (c2009)

Abstract

Nasturtium officinalis plants, commonly known as Watercress, or Habb Ar Rashad in Arabic, possess a wide range of biological activities. Although not many studies were conducted on Watercress, research is still in progress about this plant because of its well known medicinal value in folk medicine throughout the world and especially in the Arab countries. The present study explores the effects of the water extract of Nasturtium officinalis upon rat blood lipid profile, glycemia, liver enzymes, gastric ulcer, inflammation and antioxidant activity. After one month of chronic extract intake of N.ojjicinalis water extract (100, 2S0 and SOO mg/kg body weight) via drinking water, rats showed no significant changes in the serum total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Similarly, the glucose level was not significantly different from the control group. Extract intake did not appear to affect stool triglyceride and water content. However a significant decrease in stool cholesterol was observed with the lowest dose. The 100 and 2S0 mg/kg body weight doses showed a decrease in body weight. Liver enzyme activities (ALT, ALP, AST) were not negatively affected thus assuring that the extract has no hepatotoxic effects over the study period. Extract at 100, 2S0, and 500mg/kg body weight exhibited substantial anti-inflammatory effects in cases of acute and chronic inflammation induced by carrageenan and formalin respectively. Pre-treatment of fasted rats with the extract (l00 and 2S0mg/kg body weight) also demonstrated significant protection against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer. N officinalis also exhibited a strong scavenging activity against DPPH radicals (55 %) and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) value was 1085/-lmol/g. The content of phenolic compound in the extract assessed by Folin-Ciocalteu reagent was 820 mg galic acid equivalent/ g and gave a high phenolic compound content. In conclusion, these investigations suggest that the water extract of Nasturtium officinalis is an easy, inexpensive remedy used to treat various conditions that affect the human well-being.