Gorichnik Nasturtium

Gorichnik Nasturtium: description, application and healing properties

Nasturtium gorychnik (Imperatoria ostruthium or Peucedanum ostruthium) is a perennial plant that belongs to the umbrella family (Apiaceae). Its popular names are king's root, magister's root, or siren's root. Nasturtium gorichnik grows high in the mountains, on calcareous soils and silica of mountain meadows, stream banks and wet bush thickets. The plant can reach a height of 40 to 100 cm, has a weakly leafy stem, and thin shoots arise from a thick brown rhizome.

The leaves of the nasturtium horn are once or twice tripinnate, and the small white flowers are collected in large multi-flowered umbels. The plant blooms from June to August. Dense thickets of nasturtium gorychnik are usually found in the mountains, in the Alps above 1000 m, rarely below.

The rhizome of Nasturtium gorychnik, which is used in medicine, has the pharmaceutical name Imperatoria rhizoma (formerly: Rhizoma Imperatoria). It is very fragrant and resembles the smell of celery or angelica. The best time to collect rhizomes is early spring or late autumn. The rhizomes are washed and dried in the shade.

Nasturtium cinnamon contains essential oil, bitterness, tannins, coumarins, resins, gums, as well as starch, sugar and pectin. All these components have a healing effect on the body.

Nasturtium gorichnik belongs to the group of medicinal plants containing aromatic bitterness. It can be used as a medicine for disorders of the stomach, intestines, liver and gall bladder. In areas where gorichnik is abundant (for example, in Austria and Switzerland), it is used for steam baths (inhalations) for asthma and bronchitis. The effect is very good, and side effects with moderate use should not be feared.

However, before using nasturtium cinnamon as a medicine, you should consult your doctor and find out about possible contraindications and side effects.