Parts used: seeds.
Pharmacy name: black mustard seeds – Sinapis nigrae semen (formerly: Semen Sinapis), mustard oil – Sinapis aetheroleum (formerly: Oleum Sinapis).
Botanical description. For medical purposes, only the cultural form of mustard is used. The plant reaches a height of 1 m, branches in the upper part, slightly pubescent below. Yellow flowers are collected in a loose brush. The long pod contains spherical dark brown seeds. The leaves on the stem are arranged alternately; lower – petiolate, lyre-lobed; medium – with a serrated edge; upper – linear and for the most part solid-extreme. Blooms in June-July. Edible mustard was known in Ancient Rome; there is evidence that mustard has been cultivated for several centuries before our era.
active ingredients. The active principle is the glycoside sinigrin, which, in the presence of water, under the influence of the myrosinase enzyme present in the plant, is cleaved into mustard-oil allyl and glucose. In addition, the seeds contain fatty oil, protein and mucus.
Healing action and application. Mustard seed is used as a skin irritant for pleurisy, rheumatic pains, and in all cases where it is necessary to cause local hyperemia (blood flow to the skin). For this purpose, a wet slurry of crushed mustard seeds is applied to the sore spot or ready-made mustard plasters are used. You can also use mustard powder, which is sold in pharmacies under the name Semen Sinapis pulveiatum exoleatum (the powder is made from cake after obtaining fatty mustard oil). Pure essential oil of black mustard (mustard-oil allyl) is unsuitable for treatment due to its strong irritant effect, but diluted with alcohol, it serves as a rubbing agent.
- Mustard compress: 100 g of mustard powder is mixed with lukewarm water into a thick slurry, which is applied to linen and placed on a sore spot (for pneumonia and bronchitis – on the chest) for 5-10 minutes. For babies, 3-5 minutes are enough, after which the sore spot should be well cleaned of mustard.
Inside, mustard seed is used (by a teaspoon) against all kinds of stomach and intestinal diseases. Mustard raises the appetite, slightly weakens and is indicated even for stomach ulcers. For internal use, you can take food mustard, as it is prepared from black mustard seeds. (* In Russia, mustard mustard is used for mustard plasters and as a food spice – Brassicajuncea (L.) Czcrn.)
Use in homeopathy. The homeopathic remedy Sinapis is prepared from the mature seeds and taken internally or externally. When used externally, the initial tincture serves as a skin irritant – it replaces the mustard compress and helps as a rub for rheumatism and gout. Inside, Sinapis is prescribed in dilutions D 1 -D6 for hay fever, colds, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, hoarseness, and also for heartburn.
Application in folk medicine.The popularity of mustard in folk medicine is very high. In the first place are mustard plasters – from rheumatism, sciatica and gout. Then there is mustard spirit for rubbing with muscle pain, sprains, dislocations and, of course, with rheumatism. Mustard compresses for catarrh of the bronchi are also very popular. For babies, they are made a little softer by adding 20% pork fat to the mustard gruel. Use as a condiment: “The mustard is grabbed by those who do not know how to use spices at all.” It used to be so, but today it is different. New research has shown that mustard is one of the most healthful spices. It is excellent for digestion, helping to digest fatty foods that do not lie in the stomach “like lead”, and very quickly it is processed and then finally digested in the intestines. In older people, mustard, stimulating digestion, significantly improves metabolism. Mustard heals. When little babies don’t have an appetite, they often grab mustard. You don’t have to stop them. They instinctively choose what will help them. Food mustard is produced according to various recipes (soft, sweet, spicy, burning) from mustard seeds, which must undergo enzymatic cleavage to form mustard-oil allyl. White mustard (Sinapis alba L.) forms light yellow seeds; they are much softer in taste, so to speak – more elegant. It is also used in the production of food mustard, but other than a mild laxative, white mustard has no medical value. significantly improves metabolism. Mustard heals. When little babies don’t have an appetite, they often grab mustard. You don’t have to stop them. They instinctively choose what will help them. Food mustard is produced according to various recipes (soft, sweet, spicy, burning) from mustard seeds, which must undergo enzymatic cleavage to form mustard-oil allyl. White mustard (Sinapis alba L.) forms light yellow seeds; they are much softer in taste, so to speak – more elegant. It is also used in the production of food mustard, but other than a mild laxative, white mustard has no medical value. significantly improves metabolism. Mustard heals. When little babies don’t have an appetite, they often grab mustard. You don’t have to stop them. They instinctively choose what will help them. Food mustard is produced according to various recipes (soft, sweet, spicy, burning) from mustard seeds, which must undergo enzymatic cleavage to form mustard-oil allyl. White mustard (Sinapis alba L.) forms light yellow seeds; they are much softer in taste, so to speak – more elegant. It is also used in the production of food mustard, but other than a mild laxative, white mustard has no medical value. Food mustard is produced according to various recipes (soft, sweet, spicy, burning) from mustard seeds, which must undergo enzymatic cleavage to form mustard-oil allyl. White mustard (Sinapis alba L.) forms light yellow seeds; they are much softer in taste, so to speak – more elegant. It is also used in the production of food mustard, but other than a mild laxative, white mustard has no medical value. Food mustard is produced according to various recipes (soft, sweet, spicy, burning) from mustard seeds, which must undergo enzymatic cleavage to form mustard-oil allyl. White mustard (Sinapis alba L.) forms light yellow seeds; they are much softer in taste, so to speak – more elegant. It is also used in the production of food mustard, but other than a mild laxative, white mustard has no medical value.
Side effects. Mustard-oil allyl is a highly irritating agent for the skin. It also appears in mustard compresses, so they should be put on for a short time. And, as already mentioned, the skin after removing the compress should be gently but thoroughly cleansed. Of course, rubbing should not be rough, otherwise powerful irritation with blisters may occur. Mustard oil is forbidden to give inside. Other mustard products should not be overdosed, and food mustard should not be abused either.