Upon distilling the shells of Brassica Rapa var. rapifera, Metzger (Ger. Wasserriibe, Stoppeirube), M. Kuntze1) obtained a very small amount of a volatile oil, the odor of which resembled that of Cardamine amara (See p. 531). It consisted of phenyl1) Arch. der Pharm. 246 (1907), 660. In connection with his investigations of the fatty oils of the crucifers, C. Grimme (Pharm. Zentralh. 53 [1912], 733. - Pharm. Ztg. 57 [1912], 520) determined the volatile oil content of a number of species of Brassica and Raphanus according to the method for assaying black mustard of the fifth edition of the German Pharmacopoeia. The percentage of mustard oil is computed with reference to allyl mustard oil. The chemical nature of the individual mustard oils still remains to be ascertained.

No.

Botanical source

Mustard oil cake

%

oil in the seed

%

1

Brassica oleracea acephala vulgaris .............

0,119

0,079

2

„ „ „ quercifolia..........

0,079

0,051

3

„ „ „ crispa.....

0,159

0,103

4

„ „ gemmifera........................

0,198

0,144

5

„ „ sabanda............................

0,178

0,129

6

„ „ capita alba.........................

0,357

0,258

7

„ „ rubra.................

0,357

0,259

8

gongylides.......

0,198

0,142

9

„ „ botrytis..............................

0,159

0,104

10

„ „ asparagoides.....................

0,178

0,119

11

„ Rapa oleifera annua...........................

0,119

0,085

12

„ „ „ hiemalis ............

0,159

0,093

13

„ „ rapifera................................

0,252

0,166

14

„ „ teltoviensis .........................

0,198

0,132

15

„ Napus oleifera annua..........................

0,156

0,097

16

„ „ „ hiemalis...................

0,119

0,071

17

„ „ „ flora alba..................

0,099

0,056

18

„ „ rapifera (Erdkohlrabi) (chou-navet)

0,099

0,062

19

„ „ (Wruke)......

0,020

0,012

20

Raphanus sativus albus............................................

0,263

0,164

21

„ „niger.........

0,179

0,108

22

„ „ Radiola.....................

0,159

0,106

23

„ „ oleiferus....................

0,199

0,133

In an investigation of the crucifer family for other sulphone mustard oils, W. Schneider and W. Lohmann (Berl. Berichte 45 [1912], 2955) established the presence of allyl mustard oil and myrosin in cauliflower seed (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis, L). When ground cauliflower seeds were added to black mustard meal, in which the myrosin had previously been destroyed allyl mustard oil was liberated. However, the reaction was but a faint one.

ethyl mustard oil. Its thiourea, obtained by the action of alcoholic ammonia, was inactive and melted at 137°. This mustard oil was obtained as a product of hydrolysis brought about by an enzyme in the presence of water. It could not be obtained from the inner tissues of the plant.