SINAPIS ALBA 207 



HABITAT. Asia and Southern Europe; cultivated. 



DESCRIPTION or DRUG. The principal difference between this and black 

 mustard is that of color and size, being i to 2 mm. in diam., of a 

 yellowish color, and less pungent. The oily embryo consists of a 

 curved caudicle and two cotyledons, one folded over the other. Both 

 the black and white seeds are practically free from starch. Com- 

 mercial ground mustard is an unctuous yellowish powder which cakes 

 on pressure; it is usually a mixture of the ground white mustard (dull 

 yellow) and the black mustard (yellowish-green). The mixture is, 

 however, often rendered brighter by the addition of turmeric; when 

 this is the case, it will respond to the test for starch, and will acquire a 

 red-brown color with a solution of borax or boric acid. The "limit 

 of starch" test of the U.S.P., page 394 (8th ed.), will betray dilution 

 with starchy substances. Moistened with water the powder quickly 

 develops a pungent odor. 



PIG. 106. Diagram of a flower FIG. 107. The embryo of Bras- 



of the Cruciferce. sica pumias orientalis. 



Powder. Characteristic elements: See Part iv, Chap. I, B. 



CONSTITUENTS OF BLACK AND WHITE MUSTARD. Both contain a fixed 

 oil, 22 to 23 per cent.; mucilage about 19 per cent. Both seeds con- 

 tain the ferment myrosin, the white having usually the larger quan- 

 tity. The quantity of myrosin in these seeds is quite variable, some- 

 times being as low as 2 per cent., then as high as 18 per cent. A 

 glucoside exists in the white mustard, sinalbin (C3oH44N2S2Oie) , 

 which, decomposed by myrosin, yields glucose, sinapine sulphate, and 

 a fixed oil, which is the sulphocyanate of acrinyl, and is found to be 

 identical with para oxyphenylacetic acid. H. Salkowski manufactured 

 this principle synthetically. The black mustard contains sinigrin 

 (CioHi8KNS2Oio), which yields, when decomposed by the ferment 

 myrosin, glucose, potassium sulphate, and a volatile oil, allyl iso- 

 thiocyanate (CS : N.CsHs), the common mustard oil. Ash, not ex- 

 ceeding 9 per cent. 



ACTION AND USES. Same as Sinapis Nigra. Average dose: 2 dr. (8 Gm.). 



Preparation of Sinalbin. Extract powdered white mustard with benzene 

 (CH) to remove oil. Treat the dried dregs with four times its weight of boiling 

 alcohol. Filter the alcoholic liquid while hot. On standing in a cool place the 

 liquid deposits crystals of sinalbin. 



