water pepper

Water-pepper
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Caryophyllales Family: Polygonaceae Genus: Persicaria Species: P. hydropiper
Binomial name
Persicaria hydropiper (L.) Spach

Water-pepper or Water pepper (Persicaria hydropiper, syn. Polygonum hydropiper) is a plant of the family Polygonaceae. It grows in damp places and shallow water; a native of the temperate zones of the Northern hemisphere. It has some use as a spice because of its pungent flavour.

Active ingredients

The water-pepper has the following active ingredients: 2 bicyclic sesquiterpenoids, polygodial (tadeonal, an unsaturated dialdehyde with a drimane backbone) and waburganal which has been found responsible for the pungent taste (hence its edibility);^[1] rutin (see rue) is the source of the bitter taste impression.

The plant contains an essential oil (0.5%) which consists of monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids: α-pinene, β-pinene, 1,4-cineol, fenchone, α-humulene, β-caryophyllene, trans-β-bergamotene. Carboxylic acids (cinnamic, valeric and caproic acid) and their esters were present in traces. The composition depends strongly on genetic factors.

Edibility

In Japan this plant's leaves are used as a vegetable - it should be noted that these are from the cultivar, not the wild type which has a far more pungent taste.

The seeds of the water-pepper are used in wasabi.

References

1. ^ M Jonassohn (1996)Sesquiterpenoid unsaturated dialdehydes - Structural properties that affect reactivity and bioactivity. Doctoral thesis, Lund University, Sweden. ISBN 91-628-2215-2. [1]PDF (730 KiB)

• Blanchan, Neltje (2002). Wild Flowers: An Aid to Knowledge of Our Wild Flowers and Their Insect Visitors.. Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. 

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