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The growth and cadmium (Cd) accumulation of emergent plant Nasturtium officinale R. Br. cuttings taken from plants grafted onto rootstocks of four terrestrial Cruciferae species were studied in a pot experiment. Scions from N. officinale seedlings were grafted onto rootstocks of Brassica chinensis L., Raphanus sativus L., Brassica napus L., and Rorippa dubia (Pers.) H. Hara . Cuttings were taken after 1 month and grown in Cd-contaminated soil (10 mg Cd kg −1 ) for 60 days. Compared with non-grafted N. officinale , grafting onto R. sativus and B. napus rootstocks increased the root, shoot, and whole plant biomasses of N. officinale cuttings. Brassica napus rootstock was more effective than R. sativus rootstock for increasing the biomass of N. officinale cuttings. The four rootstocks decreased or had no significant effect on photosynthetic pigment contents in N. officinale cuttings compared with non-grafted N. officinale . Only grafting onto B. napus rootstock enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities. Compared with non-grafted N. officinale , R. sativus and B. napus rootstocks decreased the Cd contents in roots and shoots of N. officinale cuttings, whereas the other rootstocks had no significant effect on the shoot Cd content. The four rootstocks had no increase effects on Cd extraction by N. officinale cuttings. Therefore, cutting after grafting did not enhance the phytoremediation ability of N. officinale for growth in Cd-contaminated soil. However, R. sativus and B. napus rootstocks decreased the Cd content in N. officinale cuttings, which offers a potential approach for N. officinale safety production as a wild vegetable in Cd-contaminated soils.

Nasturtium officinale R.Br. (Betong watercress) contains high levels of secondary metabolites that offer health benefits. However, fresh-cut watercress has a short shelf life. This study aimed to assess the effect of drying methods on the phytochemical contents, antioxidant activity, and anti-diabetic activity of Betong watercress. The watercress was dried using three methods: roasting (R, 50 °C, 40 min); roasting and drying (RD, 40 min roasting at 50 °C and 1 h drying at 80 °C); and blanching, roasting, and drying (BRD, 30 s blanching at 80 °C, 20 min roasting at 50 °C, and 1 h drying at 80 °C). Aqueous extracts from each drying method were analyzed for total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, total glucosinolate content, antioxidant activities (FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS assays), and α-amylase enzyme inhibition. From the results, the R method provided the highest level of total phenolic, total flavonoid, and total glucosionolate content compared to the RD and BRD methods. Similarly, antioxidant activities and α-amylase enzyme inhibition were highest in the R method, followed by the RD and BRD methods. Our results demonstrate that roasting of Betong watercress without the addition of blanching or drying effectively preserves the phytochemical contents, antioxidant activities, and anti-diabetic activity.

Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is used in the management of autoimmune conditions and malignant illnesses. However, its therapeutic use is limited because of its severe side effects, especially hepatotoxicity attributed to oxidative stress. Nasturtium officinale R. Br (watercress or WC ) has pharmacological properties, such as anti-inflammation, and antioxidant activities. Therefore, the present study was design to assess effects of WC or its active ingredient, quercetin (QE), against CPA-induced hepatotoxicity. For this study, 49 male Wistar rats (200–250 g) were randomly selected and categorized into seven equal groups. The animals were pre- and post-treated with both hydroalcoholic extract of WC (500 mg/kg) and quercetin (75 mg/kg) for 10 consecutive days, and intraperitoneal administration of CPA (200 mg/kg) was performed on only day 10, one hour before the last dose of WC or quercetin. On day 11, all the animals were sacrificed, and their blood and liver were gathered for evaluation of the liver enzyme, hepatic oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzymes activity, and hematoxylin and eosin staining. CPA significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PCO) and nitric oxide (NO) levels and liver biomarkers. Otherwise, hepatic catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), total thiol content (tSH), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were considerably lower than the control group. Results showed that WC has the ability to reduce the changes (MDA, PCO, FRAP, CAT, ALT and AST) and QE (MDA, PCO, AST) induced by CPA (p < 0.05). Histopathological finding confirmed the indicated results. These findings propose that WC and QE have protective effect against the CPA-induced hepatotoxicity by decreasing oxidative stress. Graphic abstract

Watercress ( R.Br.) is a cruciferous vegetable rich in bioactive compounds that may improve cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. However, clinical evidence regarding its direct impact on CVD risk remains limited. This study evaluated the efficacy of watercress consumption on cardiovascular parameters, oxidative stress biomarkers, and estimated CVD risk in middle-aged Thai adults with low-to-moderate risk. Twenty-five participants completed the randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study. The watercress group ( = 12) consumed 16 dried watercress capsules daily for four weeks, while the placebo group ( = 13) received a placebo. Physical examinations, arterial stiffness, lipid profiles, and biochemical biomarkers were analyzed at baseline and the end of treatment. The 10-year CVD risk was estimated using the Framingham equation. Following the intervention, the watercress group showed significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to the placebo group. Within the watercress group, significant improvements from baseline to post-intervention were observed in oxidized LDL, antioxidant capacity (ABTS), and estimated 10-year CVD risk score. However, these three parameters did not reach statistical significance when compared to the placebo group. In conclusion, daily watercress consumption significantly lowers blood pressure and demonstrates a potential dietary option for supporting cardiovascular health. Nevertheless, larger and longer-term clinical trials remain necessary.

Background Nanostructured materials used have unique properties and many uses in nanotechnology. The most striking of these is using herbal compounds for the green synthesis of nanoparticles. Among the nanoparticle types used for green synthesis, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are used for cancer therapy due to their stable structure and non-cytotoxic. Lung cancer is the most common and most dangerous cancer worldwide in terms of survival and prognosis. In this study, Nasturtium officinale (L.) extract (NO), which contains biomolecules with antioxidant and anticancer effects, was used to biosynthesize AuNPs, and after their characterization, the effect of the green-synthesized AuNPs against lung cancer was evaluated in vitro. Methods Ultraviolet‒visible (UV‒Vis) spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), multiple analysis platform (MAP), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy analyses were performed to characterize the AuNPs prepared from the N. officinale plant extract. Moreover, the antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid contents and DNA interactions were examined. Additionally, A549 lung cancer cells were treated with 2–48 µg/mL Nasturtium officinale gold nanoparticles (NOAuNPs) for 24 and 48 h to determine the effects on cell viability. The toxicity of the synthesized NOAuNPs to lung cancer cells was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-il)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and the anticancer effect of the NOAuNPs was evaluated by apoptosis and cell cycle analyses using flow cytometry. Results The average size of the NPs was 56.4 nm. The intensities of the Au peaks from EDS analysis indicated that the AuNPs were synthesized successfully. Moreover, the in vitro antioxidant activities of the NO and NOAuNPs were evaluated; these materials gave values of 31.78 ± 1.71% and 31.62 ± 0.46%, respectively, in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay at 200 g/mL and values of 25.89 ± 1.90% and 33.81 ± 0.62%, respectively, in the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay. The NO and NOAuNPs gave values of 0.389 ± 0.027 and 0.308 ± 0.005, respectively, in the ferrous ion reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAP) assay and values of 0.078 ± 0.009 and 0.172 ± 0.027, respectively, in the copper ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assay. When the DNA cleavage activities of NO and the NOAuNPs were evaluated via hydrolysis, both samples cleaved DNA starting at a concentration of 25 g/mL in the cell culture analysis, while the nanoformulation of the NO components gave greater therapeutic and anticancer effects. We determined that the Au nanoparticles were not toxic to A549 cells. Moreover, after treatment with the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ), determined by the MTT assay with A549 cells, we found that at 24 and 48 h, while the necrosis rates were high in cells treated with NO, the rates of apoptosis were greater in cells treated with NOAuNPs. Notably, for anticancer treatment, activating apoptotic pathways that do not cause inflammation is preferred. We believe that these results will pave the way for the use of NOAuNPs in in vitro studies of other types of cancer. Conclusion In this study, AuNPs were successfully synthesized from N. officinale extract. The biosynthesized AuNPs exhibited toxicity to and apoptotic effects on A549 lung cancer cells. Based on these findings, we suggest that green-synthesized AuNPs are promising new therapeutic agents for lung cancer treatment. However, since this was an in vitro study, further research should be performed in in vivo lung cancer models to support our findings and to explain the mechanism of action at the molecular level.

Glucosinolates are important plant secondary metabolites that are involved in plant defense responses and have beneficial effects on human life and health. Watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.) is an aquatic vegetable rich in glucosinolates. This study utilized ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS) to compare and analyze four watercress samples from different origins. A total of 35 glucosinolates were identified, including 33 differential glucosinolates, and their relative content in different samples was determined. Differential metabolite screening revealed significant differences in the watercress from Guangdong, China (GD), compared with other samples. It contained two specific glucosinolates: 2(R)-Hydroxy-2-Phenylethyl glucosinolate and 4-Benzoyloxybutyl glucosinolate. The watercress from the United States of America (MG) had the highest total glucosinolate content. Genes involved in glucosinolate biosynthesis, such as NoCYP83A1 and NoSUR1, were also expressed differently in the four samples. This study provides a reference for further investigation of glucosinolate metabolites in the four watercress samples and the utilization of glucosinolates in watercress.

Plant genetic engineering is an important tool used in current efforts in crop improvement, pharmaceutical product biosynthesis and sustainable agriculture. However, conventional genetic engineering techniques target the nuclear genome, prompting concerns about the proliferation of foreign genes to weedy relatives. Chloroplast transformation does not have this limitation, since the plastid genome is maternally inherited in most plants, motivating the need for organelle-specific and selective nanocarriers. Here, we rationally designed chitosan-complexed single-walled carbon nanotubes, utilizing the lipid exchange envelope penetration mechanism. The single-walled carbon nanotubes selectively deliver plasmid DNA to chloroplasts of different plant species without external biolistic or chemical aid. We demonstrate chloroplast-targeted transgene delivery and transient expression in mature Eruca sativa, Nasturtium officinale, Nicotiana tabacum and Spinacia oleracea plants and in isolated Arabidopsis thaliana mesophyll protoplasts. This nanoparticle-mediated chloroplast transgene delivery tool provides practical advantages over current delivery techniques as a potential transformation method for mature plants to benefit plant bioengineering and biological studies.Chitosan-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes enable selective gene delivery to the chloroplasts of mature living plants without external mechanical aid.

• The molecular mechanisms controlling underwater elongation are based extensively on studies on internode elongation in the monocot rice (Oryza sativa) and petiole elongation in Rumex rosette species. Here, we characterize underwater growth in the dicot Nasturtium officinale (watercress), a wild species of the Brassicaceae family, in which submergence enhances stem elongation and suppresses petiole growth. • We used a genome-wide transcriptome analysis to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed antithetical growth responses. Though submergence caused a substantial reconfiguration of the petiole and stem transcriptome, only little qualitative differences were observed between both tissues. A core submergence response included hormonal regulation and metabolic readjustment for energy conservation, whereas tissue-specific responses were associated with defense, photosynthesis, and cell wall polysaccharides. • Transcriptomic and physiological characterization suggested that the established ethylene, abscisic acid (ABA), and GA growth regulatory module for underwater elongation could not fully explain underwater growth in watercress. • Petiole growth suppression is likely attributed to a cell cycle arrest. Underwater stem elongation is driven by an early decline in ABA and is not primarily mediated by ethylene or GA. An enhanced stem elongation observed in the night period was not linked to hypoxia and suggests an involvement of circadian regulation.

The study has proved the stimulating effects of different strategies of treatments with elicitors on the production of glucosinolates (GSLs), flavonoids, polyphenols, saccharides, and photosynthetic pigments in watercress ( Nasturtium officinale ) microshoot cultures. The study also assessed antioxidant and anti-melanin activities. The following elicitors were tested: ethephon (ETH), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), sodium salicylate (NaSA), and yeast extract (YeE) and were added on day 10 of the growth period. Cultures not treated with the elicitor were used as control. The total GSL content estimations and UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS analyses showed that elicitation influenced the qualitative and quantitative profiles of GSLs. MeJA stimulated the production of gluconasturtiin (68.34 mg/100 g dried weight (DW)) and glucobrassicin (65.95 mg/100 g DW). The elicitation also increased flavonoid accumulation (max. 1131.33 mg/100 g DW, for 100 μM NaSA, collection after 24 h). The elicitors did not boost the total polyphenol content. NaSA at 100 μM increased the production of total chlorophyll a and b (5.7 times after 24 h of treatment), and 50 μM NaSA caused a 6.5 times higher production of carotenoids after 8 days of treatment. The antioxidant potential (assessed with the CUPRAC FRAP and DPPH assays) increased most after 24 h of treatment with 100 μM MeJA. The assessment of anti-melanin activities showed that the microshoot extracts were able to cause inhibition of tyrosinase (max. 27.84% for 1250 µg/mL). Key points • Elicitation stimulated of the metabolite production in N. officinale microshoots. • High production of pro-health glucosinolates and polyphenols was obtained. • N. officinale microshoots have got tyrosinase inhibition potential. • The antioxidant potential of N. officinale microshoots was evaluated. Graphical abstract

Watercress ( Nasturtium officinale L.), a cruciferous vegetable, is ranked as a superfood among vegetables and fruits due to the high level of micro/macro elements, vitamins, and phytochemicals that led to an increase in its consumption in the human diet. In the present study, eleven wild N. officinale populations (NOP1-NOP11) collected from different locations in Iran were evaluated regarding agro-morphological, nutritional values, and biological activity. A significant variation in phenotypic and phytonutrient traits was observed among the studied populations. Pahneh Kola (NOP 8 ) exhibited the most significant values in terms of plant height (12.33 cm), number of nodes (12.00), root length (28.57 cm), and dry weight (0.96 g), indicating a strong performance in these growth parameters. The concentrations of vitamins B 3 and B 6 varied among the studied populations ranging from 0.25 µg/ml to 6.25 µg/ml and 1.9527 to 44.58 µg/ml, respectively. The highest chicoric and ferulic acids content was measured in Pahneh Kola (NOP 8 ) (4.33 mg/g DW) and Kharajgil (NOP 5 ) (7.16 mg/g DW), respectively. The outstanding antioxidant activity of the plant extracts was observed among populations, especially for Kharajgil (NOP 5 ). The plant extracts showed remarkable antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli with MIC values ranging from 16 to 64 mg/ml. This research was conducted to characterize diversity and select promising wild populations for cultivation. The observed diversity constructs the basis of future exploitation and breeding programs of this valuable vegetable.