24A—2 
penetrating when moist, with at first a bitter, then extremely pungent taste, blister- 
ing the tongue. The seeds should be of a bright reddish-brown color, free from 
gray coating, this ashy film being the effect of dampness during the ripening, and 
a great detriment to the value and properties of the seed. 
The fresh plants, soon after their appearance, while the leaves are yet young 
and tender, are used by the laity in many parts of this country as a pot-herb 
(“greens”). This relish is termed at that stage of its growth, scurvy-grass, 
though the true Scurvy-grass is Sewapis arvensis (Brassica Senapistrum). The 
use of Sinapis nigra in the U.S. Ph. is simply as Charta Sinapis. In the 
Eclectic Materia Medica the use is the same, and both employ the volatile oil 
in Linimentum Sinapis Compositum. 
PART USED AND PREPARATION.—The ripe seeds are coarsely powdered 
and covered with five parts by weight of alcohol, poured into a well-stoppered 
bottle, and allowed to stand eight days in a dark, cool place, being shaken twice a 
day. The tincture is separated by decanting, straining and filtering. 
Thus prepared, it has a clear, greenish-yellow color by transmitted or 
reflected light, a sweetish, biting taste, afterward somewhat burning, and is 
neutral to litmus paper. 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.—Sinapisin ; this body exists (Simon) as an 
unsaponifiable fat, in the seeds of black mustard, from which it may be obtained 
by percolating the powdered seeds with alcohol of 94 per cent., evaporating the 
percolate, treating the residue with ether, again evaporating, treating with 
alcohol of 90 per cent. and filtering through animal charcoal. The impure crystals 
thus gained are to be dissolved in ether, from which they deposit on evaporation as 
snowy scales, soluble in alcohol, ether and oils. (Wittstein.) 
Sinigrin,—C,, H,,KNS,O,,, or potasso-myronic acid, is the principle peculiar 
to this species, from which it may be obtained as silky, needle-like crystals, 
soluble in alcohol and water. When acted upon by myrosin it breaks down, 
forming mustard oil, glucose, and KHSO,. 
An analysis of three samples of black mustard farina, made by A. R. Leeds 
and E, Everhart, reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, 
1881, p. 130, gave the following averages, each sample differing but very slightly 
from the others : 
Moisture, ; : ‘ : ; aera 6.833 
Myronate of potash (sinigrin), : : : : .646 
Sulphocyanide of sinapine (sinalbin), . : : 11.123 
Myrosin, ; ; : : é ee ; 28.483 
Mustard oil, . ae : i : ; 29.208 
Ash, ; ‘ : : 
oo : j : ‘ ; : 3-757 
Cellulose (by diffetence), ‘ : : ; : 19.950 
1oo. 
For a full description of erucic acid, sinapoleic acid, myrosin, and fat-oil, which — 
exist alike in both S., alba and S. nigra, see 23. | 5 
