I live in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and am looking at the potential of what are mostly wasted as weeds here. If you are using this plant for food, have some recipes, etc. please share your thoughts, recipes, and comments.
I am not a scientist but just somebody who is interested in Ethnobotany. My degrees are in Rhetoric, Composition, and English Language teaching. I am pleased to hear what others in their respective specialties knows. And just recipes, of course.
All Sisymbrium sp. can be used for food as young shoots and leaves that have a taste similar to watercress, but with a slightly spicier flavor. They are eaten raw or, better, cooked and can be used in salads, soups, or with mashed potatoes.
Sisymbrium sp is widely used in folk medicine, in particular, is used in Azerbaijan for various heart problems, different types of dysentery, as a mild diuretic, for cold, and as a substitute for mustard. However, according to some reports, the plants and seeds of Sisymbrium sp may increase blood pressure (translated from local sources)
Dear Colleague Ignatov,
It will be good to count the amount of Sisymbrium sp. that is required to affect blood pressure. That will most certainly be something to consider if it is used as food. I have read that its oxylic acid level is similar to spinach, beet greens, etc., to any side effects from those are equal to Sisymbrium.
The amazing ability to grow in arid places through the cooler part of the year with absolutely no watering makes this an intriguing food and medicinal source.
Dear Gloria,
I have collected some more reference about medicinal use, but could not find other mentions on food recepies. Sure, the medical use must be very careful, because it is based mostly on folk medicine.
Regards
Sisymbrium is a herbaceous plant in the Brassicaceae family.
The stems, leaves, flowers, and pods of this plant have been used by healers in Ancient Greece and the American Indians (??? - no other references for this statement) as a food source. Medicinal application was particularly popular among singers who need to strain their voices during performances. In France, it is known as the herb of vocalists because it can help restore a singer's voice after losing it (aphonia).
The plant has anti-inflammatory, antiscurvy, diuretic, and expectorant properties, as well as astringent ones. These medicinal properties are due to the chemical composition of the plant. Tannins contribute to the astringency of the plant, while sinigrin glycosides stimulate the heart muscle and contribute to antiscurvy effects. High vitamin C content is also responsible for antiscurvy properties.
Collection and Harvesting
Although the flowering period of the plant extends from May to November, is only harvested in the summer months. They are dried and spread out in thin layers in a shady area, before being stored in an isolated place away from direct sunlight. Fresh raw materials have a greater medicinal effect, but dried materials can still retain their properties for up to a year.
The aerial parts of the plant contain tannins, thioglycosides, flavonoids, cardenolides (corchoroside A and helveticoside), carotene and ascorbic acid. The herb also contains oleic acid, sulfur and other essential oils.
Seeds are rich in fatty acids, including arachidic, linoleic, linolenic, palmitic, oleic and eicosadienoic acids. Other acids present in seeds include erucic, zyzosinic and stearic acid.
The plant is often recommended for diarrhea, liver diseases, diabetes, gastritis, and other conditions. The infusion of plant treats tonsillitis, sore throat, pharyngitis, bronchitis, and laryngitis. It can also be used for asthma and other respiratory problems. Sisymbrium acts as a diuretic and can be used to treat inflammation of the urinary system.
Externally, Sisymbrium juice or infusion can be applied to treat stomatitis, scabies, wounds, and ulcers. The seeds of Sisymbrium have anthelmintic properties and can stimulate the heart muscle. Sisymbrium is a medicinal plant that is very effective in treating general weakness, chronic gastritis with secretory insufficiency, colds, and nasopharyngeal irritation.
Its infusions and decoctions have diuretic, astringent, and appetite-boosting properties, and they can also help reduce inflammation. The cardenolides found in the seeds of the plant can have a similar stimulating effect on the heart muscle as the alkaloids in the medicinal herb foxglove (Digitalis sp.).
Literature:
1. Budantsev A. L., Lesiovskaya E. E. Wild useful plants of Russia. – St. Petersburg: SPHFA, 2001 – 663 p.
2. Burbello, A. T. Pharmacy preparations of medicinal plants / A.T. Burbello. - M.: Olma Media Group, 2009. - 192 p.
3. Lavrenov, V.K. 500 most important medicinal plants / V.K. Lavrenov, G.V. Lavrenova. - M.: AST, 2003. - 512 p.
4. Filatov O.A. The newest herbalist. Healing plants from A to Z, 2016, 187 p
5. Podolyak A. Herbalist. Description of 300 medicinal plants and how to use them from the 100 most common diseases. Istok Publishing House, LLC, 2015
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