NASTURTIUM

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Scientific noun: Tropaeolum majus L.

Common noun: : Nasturtium

Family :Tropaeolaceae

Habitat: Garden plant coming from the Peru.

Active principles: Sulphurousheterosides: glucotrapeoline Oxalic acid Espilantol

Active parts: The whole plant, less the roots and especially the young plants or the tender buds, being the seeds those that present a bigger toxicity.

Uses : - Medicinal: It has been used in home-made medicine as stimulant of the hair, to prevent its fall and to favor its conservation. The preparations are carried out fundamentally by means of hairy frictions with the resulting liquid of carrying out an infusion with the grass with the proportion of 2%, or by means of the application with the fingers of extract fluid. It can be carried out a shampoo diluting extract fluid to 5%. Another possibility is to mash the plant and to form a pasta which is applied externally on the hair. Equally, in external use, it is attributed demulcent properties being considered a good remedy to cure wounds or to reduce inflammations. . Because of its bactericide properties, it has disinfectant values, especially in all those infections taken place by fungi. In internal use, for its wealth in vitamin C, the flowers and leaves have been eaten fresh to combat the scurvy. Also the floral buds, hardened in vinegar, have been used as substitutes of the capers. By crushing the plant, a juice is obtained that has been applied to favor blood circulation, mainly in the legs and in the fingers. The same juice has also been used to increase micturition and to favor menstruation. The infusions of the dry plant are considered appropriate to treat breathing problems related with bacterial affections, in cases like bronchitis, anginas, flu, etc. In this sense, its components seem to carry out so much a bacterial as expectorant function , by eliminating the bacteria or helping to expel the chest mucosities. - Gardening : It is used as gardening plant because of its beautiful flowers. Inside this section it is necessary to consider its repellent properties of the plagues of the garden, especially against the aphids. Apply the resulting liquid of carrying out an infusion with all the plant, with which the plants are sprayed. Given the toxicity of their components, its used is dissuaded in home-made preparations.

Toxicity: Considerable. It affects mainly to the digestive tract and the kidneys, producing considerable irritations in people that have manifested sensitiveness to their components and whenever the established doses are surpassed. One has to keep especially in mind not to administer in people that have gastrointestinal ulcer or affections of the kidney. Symptoms: Stomachache, sickness, vomits, diarrheas, In external use, the contact with the skin can produce dermatitis.   Cultivation