Horseradish is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows up to one and a half meters tall. It has a thick, fleshy root with numerous thin lateral roots. Its upright stem is branched at the top. The leaves are elongated with an oval rounding and are very large near the base. Horseradish flowers are small, white, and have four petals, measuring five to seven millimeters in length, and bloom in clusters. The fruit is an inflated, elongated pod. Horseradish reproduces vegetatively and blooms in May or June, depending on its location. It thrives in moist meadows, along water bodies, and in various damp areas near human dwellings. Horseradish is widespread across the Eurasian continent.
Harvesting and Storage
The primary raw material used in folk medicine is the plant’s root, which is harvested in autumn. The dug-up and cleaned roots are stored in a location with a temperature of around zero degrees Celsius, with an allowable variance of plus or minus one degree.
Sometimes, the root is harvested in winter by digging through the snow in a pre-marked area to retrieve fresh material. Spring harvesting of the roots is also common. Due to the high content of essential oils, mustard oil, sinigrin, lysozyme, glucose, arabinose, galactose, vitamins B and C, and saponins, horseradish has long been used in folk medicine.
Medicinal Properties
Fresh horseradish contains a protein substance, lysozyme, which can dissolve microbial cell walls, creating an antibacterial barrier in the human body. The unpeeled root contains a high level of ascorbic acid, though it breaks down within an hour after the root is sliced or grated. However, horseradish preserved in vinegar retains its qualities since ascorbic acid remains stable in an acidic environment.
Horseradish leaves and seeds are also valued in folk medicine for their high content of alkaloids, carotene, vitamin C, mineral salts, and flavonoids. Therefore, horseradish has choleretic, bactericidal, expectorant, diuretic, and blood-purifying properties. It lowers blood sugar, improves the functioning and secretion of the digestive organs, and increases appetite.
Culinary and Medicinal Uses
Consuming just one teaspoon of grated horseradish with honey before meals guarantees a healthy appetite. Scientists explain that the juice of the horseradish root, when diluted in water, stimulates the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, making it effective for treating gastritis. However, high doses of horseradish are not recommended for people with internal health conditions.
Horseradish is widely used in folk medicine around the world to treat rheumatism, gallstones, kidney stones, difficulty urinating, gout, anemia, impotence, scurvy, osteoarthritis, pleurisy, myositis, and lumbar-sacral radiculitis.
Grated horseradish roots are used as a poultice for sore areas, or a thin paste made from cleaned and washed roots can be used for body rubs. A diluted solution of horseradish juice is used to rinse the mouth and throat in cases of tonsillitis, stomatitis, or toothaches. For chronic otitis, fresh juice can be dropped into the ear (one or two drops).
Infusing horseradish in vodka can help remove pigment spots and freckles when used as a facial toner. Grating 10 grams of horseradish root, infusing it in 300 ml of boiling water for a few hours, and straining it yields an effective diuretic and choleretic remedy when taken four times a day, two teaspoons at a time.
Mixing 50 grams of grated horseradish with 250 ml of vinegar in a tightly sealed bottle and storing it in a cool, dark place for two weeks creates a solution that, when diluted with 1.5 liters of boiled cold water, can be used as a cosmetic. It helps lighten freckles, sunburns, and dark spots on the face, hands, and body.
For infectious hepatitis, mix one kilogram of grated horseradish with four liters of boiling water, let it infuse for at least two hours, strain, and take half a glass three times a day. This remedy can be sweetened with sugar or honey.
To treat sore throats, gingivitis, or stomatitis, pour 400 ml of boiling water over one tablespoon of grated horseradish root, let it steep for at least an hour, and strain. This infusion can be used to gargle the throat and rinse the mouth. It can also be used to wash wounds, ulcers, and cuts or to treat seborrhea.