Horseradish
The spicy root of the horseradish plant is a widely used condiment. Native to southeast Europe, it is currently widely cultivated in Germany. In Japan, it is called wasabi, and forms a ubiquitous part of sushi cuisine.
Horseradish root also has a long history of medicinal use. Taken internally, it was thought to be effective for bladder infections as well as other bladder and kidney problems. (Horseradish oil once formed a part of a drug licensed in the US for treatment of bladder infection; however, contrary to statements made on some websites, this drug is no longer in use.) Horseradish was also taken internally as a treatment for respiratory infections and for joint pain. It was also applied externally in the form of a poultice to wounds, painful joints, and strained muscles.
What Is Horseradish Used for Today?
Test tube studies
performed in the 1950s indicated that horseradish essential oil has antimicrobial properties.
1
However, it is a very long way from test tube studies to actual efficacy in people; virtually all essential oils have antimicrobial properties in the test tube, but none have gone on to show value as antibiotics.
Constituents of horseradish essential oil include the substance families glucosinolate, gluconasturtiin, and sinigrin. These and similar substances are also found in the plant nasturtium. A preliminary double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in 2007 found some evidence that a standardized combination of nasturtium and horseradish might prevent new bladder infections among people with a history of recurrent bladder infections.
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This study, however, suffered from numerous problems in design and statistical analysis. An even less reliable human trial found weak evidence that this combination could be helpful for children with sinusitis, bronchitis, or urinary tract infections.
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Dosage
A typical recommended dose of horseradish is 3 to 5 g of the freshly grated root taken three times daily, or 2 to 3 ml daily of horseradish tincture. For external use, freshly grated root is wrapped in thin gauze and applied to the skin until a sensation of warmth develops. The combined nasturtium-horseradish product mentioned above should be taken according to label instructions.
Safety Issues
As a commonly consumed condiment, horseradish is believed to be relatively safe. However, because of its spicy nature, it can cause burning mouth pain, sweating, and gastrointestinal distress. Left too long in contact in the skin, marked irritation may develop. It is definitely not advisable to get horseradish products in contact with the eyes.
Maximum safe doses of horseradish have not been established for pregnant or nursing women, young children, or people with serious liver or kidney disease.
References
1
Kienholz M. Studies of antibacterial substances from horseradish (
Cochlearia armoracia
), nasturtium (
Tropaeolum maius
) and garden peppergrass (
Lepidium sativum
).
Arch Hyg Bakteriol.
1957;141:182-197.
2
Albrecht U, Goos KH, Schneider B. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a herbal medicinal product containing Tropaeoli majoris herba (Nasturtium) and Armoraciae rusticanae radix (Horseradish) for the prophylactic treatment of patients with chronically recurrent lower urinary tract infections.
Curr Med Res Opin.
2007 Aug 24. [Epub ahead of print]
3
Goos KH, Albrecht U, Schneider B. On-going investigations on efficacy and safety profile of a herbal drug containing nasturtium herb and horseradish root in acute sinusitis, acute bronchitis and acute urinary tract infection in children in comparison with other antibiotic treatments].
Arzneimittelforschung.
2007;57:238-246.