Black mustard

Brassicas - Brassicaceae (Cruciferae). Parts used: seeds. Pharmacy name: black mustard seeds - Sinapis nigrae semen (formerly: Semen Sinapis), mustard oil - Sinapis aetheroleum (formerly: Oleum Sinapis).

Botanical description. Only the cultivated form of mustard is used for medicinal purposes. The plant reaches a height of 1 m, is branched at the top, and slightly pubescent at the bottom. Yellow flowers are collected in a loose cluster. The long pod contains spherical dark brown seeds. The leaves on the stem are arranged alternately; the lower ones are petiolate, lyre-lobed; medium ones - with a serrated edge; the upper ones are linear and for the most part entire-marginal. Blooms in June-July. Edible mustard was known in ancient Rome; There is evidence that mustard was cultivated already several centuries BC.

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 broken down into mustard oil allyl and glucose. In addition, the seeds contain fatty oil, protein and mucilage.

Healing action and application. Mustard seed is used as a skin irritant for pleurisy, rheumatic pain and in all cases where it is necessary to cause local hyperemia (a rush of blood to the skin). For these purposes, apply a wet paste of ground mustard seeds to the sore spot or use ready-made mustard plasters. 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 (allyl mustard oil) is unsuitable for treatment due to its strong irritating effect, but diluted with alcohol it serves as a rubbing agent.

Mustard seed is used internally (a teaspoon) against various gastric and intestinal diseases. Mustard increases appetite, slightly weakens and is indicated even for stomach ulcers. For internal use, you can take edible mustard, as it is prepared from black mustard seeds. (* In Russia, Sarepta mustard is used for mustard plasters and as a food spice - Brassicajuncea (L.) Czcrn.)

Use in homeopathy. The homeopathic remedy Sinapis is prepared from mature seeds and used internally or externally. When used externally, the original tincture serves as a skin irritant - it replaces a mustard compress and helps as a rubbing treatment for rheumatism and gout. Orally Sinapis is prescribed in dilutions D1-D6 for hay fever, colds, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, hoarseness, and heartburn.

Use in folk medicine. The popularity of mustard in folk medicine is very high. In first place are mustard plasters - for rheumatism, sciatica and gout. Then comes mustard alcohol for rubbing in for muscle pain, sprains, sprains and, of course, rheumatism. Mustard compresses are also very popular for bronchial catarrh. For children, they are made a little softer by adding about 20% pork fat to the mustard pulp.

Use as a seasoning: “Mustard is grabbed by those who don’t know how to use spices at all.” They used to think so, but today they think differently. New research has shown that mustard is one of the most health-promoting spices. It perfectly promotes digestion, helps to absorb fatty foods, which do not sit in the stomach “like lead”, but are very quickly processed by it and then finally digested in the intestines. In older people, mustard, by stimulating digestion, significantly improves metabolism. Mustard makes you healthier. When small children have no appetite, they often grab mustard. There is no need to stop them. They instinctively choose what will help them.

Edible mustard is produced according to various recipes (soft, sweet, hot, hot) from mustard seeds, which must undergo enzymatic digestion to form mustard-oil allyl.