Siddhάrtha,

Rάjika.

Vern. Sarishd. Rάi Sarishά. Beng.

Two varieties of mustard are mentioned by Sanskrit writers, namely, siddhάrtha or white mustard, (Sinapis glauca of Roxburgh, Brassica campestris, L.) and rάjikά or dark brown variety, (Sinapis ramosa of Roxburgh, Brassica juncea, Hooker, fil, et Thomson). The latter is more pungent and preferred for external application as a rubefacient. Mustard oil is largely used by the natives for culinary purposes as well as for anointing the body before bathing. Mustard oil anointment is said to keep the body cool, and the skin soft, to promote the growth of hair and to remove prurigo, lice and scurf. The leaves of the mustard plant are used as a pot-herb, and considered pungent and stomachic.

Mustard enters into the composition of emetic mixtures, of which the following is an example. Take of mustard seeds, Acorus Calamus root (vacha), bark of Symplocos racemosa (lodhra), and rock salt, equal parts. Powder and mix.1

Mustard forms an ingredient of several prescriptions for loss of appetite, indigestion, etc. Thus take of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fried assafoetida, ginger and rock salt, equal parts. Powder and mix. Dose, grains twenty-two with butter-milk.

Mustard is used externally, alone, or in combination with other medicines in a great variety of diseases, and notably in parotitis, sciatica, paraplegia, gout, inflammatory swellings, urticaria etc. Sarangadhara recommends the following application2 in urticaria. Take of mustard seed, turmeric, patchuk root, sesamum and the seeds of Cassia Tora (chakramardaka), equal parts, and rub them together into a paste with mustard oil. In gout, sciatica, etc, simple mustard plasters are used.1 In inflammatory affections, the following poultice is prescribed by Saran-gadhara. Take of the root of Boerhaavia diffusa (punarnava), wood of Berberis Asiatica (dάruharidrά), root of Moringa pteryyosperma (sobhάnjana), ginger and mustard seeds, equal parts, and rub them into a paste with fermented rice water.2