Clears Lung Heat and dissolves Phlegm — principal use for Heat-type cough with thick yellow phlegm
Relieves cough and calms wheezing
Promotes urination and clears Damp-Heat from the lower burner
Clears Heat and resolves toxicity — external use for sores, abscesses, and snakebite
Secondary Actions
Dispels Wind-Dampness and relieves rheumatic pain — folk use in southern China
Edible wild vegetable eaten in Yunnan and Guizhou cuisine — low toxicity profile
Classical References
Han Cai (蔊菜, Rorippa species) is an herb of Chinese folk and regional medicine; documented in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provincial materia medica for heat-cough, dysentery, and rheumatic conditions
Latin TYPO CORRECTION: the original XLSX entry had 'Herha Rorippae' — corrected to 'Herba Rorippae' in this record
Herba Rorippae (蔊菜) in Chinese sources covers multiple Rorippa species: R. montana (山蔊菜), R. indica (印度蔊菜), and R. islandica (沼生蔊菜) — all used interchangeably for similar indications in folk practice
Modern Research
Active Compounds
Glucosinolates and isothiocyanates (characteristic Brassicaceae bioactives; antibacterial, anti-inflammatory)
Quercetin and kaempferol glycosides (flavonoids)
Chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid derivatives
Beta-sitosterol
Vitamin C and beta-carotene (nutritive/antioxidant)
Studied Effects
Antimicrobial: isothiocyanates released from glucosinolates on cell disruption show broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against respiratory pathogens including S. aureus and H. influenzae — consistent with traditional cough and infection use
Anti-inflammatory: quercetin and kaempferol glycosides inhibit COX-2 and reduce NF-κB-mediated cytokine release; glucosinolate hydrolysis products modulate NLRP3 inflammasome
Note: dedicated pharmacological studies specifically on R. montana are sparse in the English-language literature; pharmacological profile is inferred from genus-level data and closely related Brassicaceae species (including arugula, watercress) that share the glucosinolate-isothiocyanate chemistry
Safety & Interactions
Contraindications
Cold-Damp cough (clear white phlegm, no fever, cold chills)
Spleen-Stomach Deficiency Cold
Cautions
Standard dose 9–15g decoction; 30–60g fresh herb
Considered a safe edible folk vegetable at standard doses; no significant toxicity reports at therapeutic doses
Limited dedicated clinical data; use primarily based on folk practice and genus-level pharmacology