nasturtium

Nasturtium officinale, is a medicinal plant with antioxidant properties and is rich in iodine, glucosinolates, vitamins, and minerals. In Persian folk medicine, it is used for the management of thyroid conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of watercress on the hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism models.

Seventy-eight rats divided into 13 groups were used. Hypothyroid groups (group 1-4) and hyperthyroid groups (group 10-13) were induced by methimazole (60 mg/kg/day) and levothyroxine (600 μg/kg/day), respectively. Groups 5-9 remained as normal groups without any intervention. After 6 weeks of induction, models were approved by measuring triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) serum levels. Afterward, hypothyroid rats received plant decoction 250 and 500 mg/kg/day, hyperthyroid rats received plant powder 250 and 500 mg/kg/day and normal rats received decoction and powder in both dosages. The treatment kept going for 4 weeks. T3, T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) serum levels, body weight, thyroid weight, thyroid histological parameters, and Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) activity were measured.

Plant decoction changed the serum levels of T3, T4, and TSH, body and thyroid weight, thyroid histological parameters, and TPO activity in hypothyroid rats in favour of hypothyroidism. Administering plant powder changed the mentioned factors toward normalization in hyperthyroid rats. In normal groups, both the powder and the decoction changed the factors toward hypothyroidism. These changes were not dose-dependent.

Watercress seems to be a suitable complementary medicine or functional food for hyperthyroidism; however, it may worsen hypothyroidism. Clinical studies are required to achieve more reliable results.

Considering the global prevalence of cancers and the complications of common cancer treatments, there is growing interest in using medicinal herbs to complement cancer treatments and reduce treatment’s side effects. Therefore, we investigate the effect of the extract of Nasturtium on the viability of oral cancer cells.

In this experimental study, we prepared aqueous extract from Nasturtium leaves and human oral cancer cells(OCC‑24) and normal fibroblast cells (HF2FF cell line) from a cell bank. Then the toxic effect of different concentrations of the extract on cell viability after 24–48 hours of exposure was investigated with the methylthiazol tetrazolium assay. Ultimately, the optical density was measured at 570 nm by an Elisa Reader. Analysis of inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) was also performed. The data were analyzed by paired Student’s t‑test and one‑way analysis of variance.

Data showed that the extract had statistically significant anticancer effects in concentrations above 0.125 mg/ml for 24‑hour exposure and in concentrations above 0.5 mg/ml for 48‑hour exposure (p‑value <0.05). Also, this extract had an adverse effect on the viability of normal cells; however, this effect occurred in high doses of the extract (p‑value <0.05). Analysis of IC50 criteria indicates that with increasing time, a higher concentration of the extract is required to inhibit the viability of cancer cells.

Because of the results, this aqueous extract can be suggested as a potential therapeutic agent in oral cancer. The best concentration of the extract was found to be 1 mg/ml.