Botanical Name: Tropaeolum majus. Nasturtium should not be confused with watercress, whose Latin name is Nasturtium officinale. It was in the 1600s that the herb was first introduced from Peru to Europe, but it was used as a medicinal plant for a long time in South America. It is one of the more powerful antibacterial plants available. It is most effective when it is used fresh and is usually made into a compress for external use or into an infusion for internal infections. Despite its value as a medicinal plant and positive results in clinical trials, the freshness factor may