GARDEN CRESS: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum) is a plant that is eaten as a vegetable. Its seed, root, and above ground parts are also used as medicine.

Garden cress leaf and seed contain chemicals that might help lower blood sugar. Garden cress also contains chemicals that might help fight some bacteria and viruses.

People use garden cress for asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Uses & Effectiveness

We currently have no information for GARDEN CRESS overview.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: The above ground parts of garden cress are commonly consumed in foods. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if the above ground parts of garden cress are safe when used as medicine. Consuming large amounts might cause stomach upset. Garden cress seeds are possibly safe when used in doses up to 3 grams daily for up to 4 weeks.

Special Precautions and Warnings

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: The above ground parts of garden cress are commonly consumed in foods. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if garden cress is safe to use in larger amounts as medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick with food amounts.

Bleeding disorders: Garden cress might slow blood clotting and increase the risk of bleeding. This might make bleeding disorders worse.

Low potassium levels (hypokalemia): Garden cress might flush potassium out of the body, possibly leading to potassium levels that are too low. Until more is known, use garden cress with caution if you are at risk for potassium deficiency.

Surgery: Garden cress might slow blood clotting and lower blood sugar levels. This might interfere with drugs used during and after surgical procedures and cause severe side effects. Stop taking garden cress at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Interactions

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

Lithium interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Garden cress might have an effect like a water pill or "diuretic." Taking garden cress might decrease how well the body gets rid of lithium. This could increase how much lithium is in the body and result in serious side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider before using this product if you are taking lithium. Your lithium dose might need to be changed.
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Garden cress might lower blood sugar levels. Taking garden cress along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely.
Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Garden cress might lower blood pressure. Taking garden cress along with medications that lower blood pressure might cause blood pressure to go too low. Monitor your blood pressure closely.
Water pills (Diuretic drugs) interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Large amounts of garden cress might decrease potassium levels in the body. "Water pills" can also decrease potassium in the body. Taking garden cress along with "water pills" might decrease potassium in the body too much.
Theophylline interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Garden cress might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down theophylline. Taking garden cress with theophylline might increase the effects and side effects of theophylline.
Amlodipine (Norvasc) interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Amlodipine lowers blood pressure. Garden cress might increase how much amlodipine is in your body and lower blood pressure too much.
Carbamazepine (Tegretol) interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Garden cress might affect blood levels of carbamazepine. Taking garden cress with carbamazepine may affect the control of seizures in some people.
Clopidogrel (Plavix) interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Clopidogrel slows blood clotting. Garden cress might also slow blood clotting. Taking garden cress along with clopidogrel might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.
Gliclazide (Diamicron, others) interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Gliclazide lowers blood sugar. Garden cress might increase how much gliclazide is in the body and lower blood sugar too much.
Losartan (Cozaar) interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Losartan lowers blood pressure. Garden cress might increase how much losartan is in the body and lower blood pressure too much.
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Garden cress might slow blood clotting. Taking garden cress along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
Metoprolol (Toprol) interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Metoprolol lowers blood pressure. Taking garden cress along with medications that lower blood pressure might lower blood pressure too much.
Phenytoin (Dilantin) interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Garden cress might increase levels of phenytoin in the body. Taking garden cress with phenytoin might increase the side effects of phenytoin.
Sildenafil (Viagra) interacts with GARDEN CRESS
Garden cress might reduce levels of sildenafil in the body. Taking garden cress with sildenafil might reduce the effects of sildenafil.

Dosing

The above ground parts of garden cress are commonly eaten as a vegetable. But as medicine, there isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of garden cress might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.

View References

REFERENCES:

Alles MS, et al. Fate of fructo-oligosaccharides in the human intestine. Br J Nutr 1996;76:211-21. View abstract.

Eddouks, M. and Maghrani, M. Effect of Lepidium sativum L. on renal glucose reabsorption and urinary TGF-beta 1 levels in diabetic rats. Phytother.Res 2008;22(1):1-5. View abstract.

Eddouks, M., Maghrani, M., Zeggwagh, N. A., and Michel, J. B. Study of the hypoglycaemic activity of Lepidium sativum L. aqueous extract in normal and diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2-28-2005;97(2):391-395. View abstract.

Gokavi, S. S., Malleshi, N. G., and Guo, M. Chemical composition of garden cress (Lepidium sativum) seeds and its fractions and use of bran as a functional ingredient. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 2004;59(3):105-111. View abstract.

Kassie, F., Laky, B., Gminski, R., Mersch-Sundermann, V., Scharf, G., Lhoste, E., and Kansmuller, S. Effects of garden and water cress juices and their constituents, benzyl and phenethyl isothiocyanates, towards benzo(a)pyrene-induced DNA damage: a model study with the single cell gel electrophoresis/Hep G2 assay. Chem Biol Interact. 1-6-2003;142(3):285-296. View abstract.

Maghrani, M, Zeggwagh, NA, Michel, JB, and Eddouks, M. Antihypertensive effect of <it>Lepidium sativum</it> L. in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology (Ireland) 2005;100:193-197.

Mennicke, W. H., Gorler, K., Krumbiegel, G., Lorenz, D., and Rittmann, N. Studies on the metabolism and excretion of benzyl isothiocyanate in man. Xenobiotica 1988;18(4):441-447. View abstract.

Souri, E., Amin, G., Farsam, H., and Andaji, S. The antioxidant activity of some commonly used vegetables in Iranian diet. Fitoterapia 2004;75(6):585-588. View abstract.

Adera F, Yusuf Z, Desta M. Physicochemical properties and biological activities of garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) seed and leaf oil extracts. Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol 2022;2022:2947836. View abstract.

Ahad A, Raish M, Abdelrahman IA, et al. Changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of losartan in experimental diseased rats treated with Curcuma longa and Lepidium sativum. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022;16(1):33. View abstract.

Al-Jenoobi FI, Ahad A, Mahrous GM, Al-Mohizea AM, AlKharfy KM, Al-Suwayeh SA. Effects of fenugreek, garden cress, and black seed on theophylline pharmacokinetics in beagle dogs. Pharm Biol 2015;53(2):296-300. View abstract.

Al-Mohizea AM, Ahad A, El-Maghraby GM, et al. Effects of Nigella sativa, Lepidium sativum and Trigonella foenum-graecum on sildenafil disposition in beagle dogs. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 2015;40(2):219-24. View abstract.

Alam MA, Bin Jardan YA, Raish M, Al-Mohizea AM, Ahad A, Al-Jenoobi FI. Herb-drug interaction: pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anti-hypertensive drug amlodipine besylate in presence of Lepidium sativum and Curcuma longa. Xenobiotica 2022;52(2):177-185. View abstract.

Albalawi MA, Hafez AM, Elhawary SS, et al. The medicinal activity of lyophilized aqueous seed extract of Lepidium sativum L. in an androgenic alopecia model. Sci Rep 2023;13(1):7676. View abstract.

Aldosari BN, Abdellatif AAH, Almurshedi AS, et al. Development of oral formulation of Lepidium seeds significantly decreases the high blood glucose levels in diabetic rats: in vitro formulation and in vivo antidiabetic performance. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2024;50(2):112-123. View abstract.

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Alkharfy KM, Al-Jenoobi FI, Al-Mohizea AM, et al. Effects of Lepidium sativum, Nigella sativa and Trigonella foenum-graceum on phenytoin pharmacokinetics in beagle dogs. Phytother Res. 2013;27(12):1800-4. View abstract.

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Bin Jardan YA, Ahad A, Raish M, Alam MA, Al-Mohizea AM, Al-Jenoobi FI. Effects of garden cress, fenugreek and black seed on the pharmacodynamics of metoprolol: an herb-drug interaction study in rats with hypertension. Pharm Biol 2021;59(1):1088-1097. View abstract.

Chen X, Yuan H, Shi F, Zhu Y. Effect of garden cress in reducing blood glucose, improving blood lipids, and reducing oxidative stress in a mouse model of diabetes induced by a high-fat diet and streptozotocin. J Sci Food Agric 2020;100(5):2074-2081. View abstract.

Doghmane A, Aouacheri O, Laouaichia R, Saka S. The investigation of the efficacy ratio of cress seeds supplementation to moderate hyperglycemia and hepatotoxicity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. J Diabetes Metab Disord 2021;20(1):447-459. View abstract.

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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

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GARDEN CRESS - Uses, Side Effects, and More

Overview

Uses & Effectiveness

Side Effects

Special Precautions and Warnings

Interactions

Moderate Interaction

Lithium interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Water pills (Diuretic drugs) interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Theophylline interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Amlodipine (Norvasc) interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Carbamazepine (Tegretol) interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Clopidogrel (Plavix) interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Gliclazide (Diamicron, others) interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Losartan (Cozaar) interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Metoprolol (Toprol) interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Phenytoin (Dilantin) interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Sildenafil (Viagra) interacts with GARDEN CRESS

Dosing