Armoracia rusticana

Figure 1. The Armoracia rusticana or Horseradish plant.

Armoracia rusticana is the scientific name for the Horseradish plant. It is a perennial plant of the family Brassicaceae, which also includes mustard, wasabi, broccoli, cabbage, and radish. Armoracia rusticana is a root vegetable. It is cultivated and used worldwide as a spice and a condiment. Both roots and leaves are edible and have been used as traditional medicine in the history of humankind.

Interestingly, the enzyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP) which are found in Armoracia rusticana is used extensively in molecular biology and biochemistry for its ability to amplify weak signals and increase detectability of target molecules. HRP is used in research to visualize under microscopy and assess the permeability of capillaries particularly those located inside the brain.

For nutritional values, refer to the Codex entry for Horseradish.