Brassica campestris, Field Mustard

Field Mustard, Turnip Rape, Rape Seed
Sarshapa (Ayurveda)
Kadugu (Siddha)
Sarson (Unani)

R. Dodonaeus [Dodoens], Stirpium historiae pemptades sex, sive libri XXX (1583)

Botanical name:

Brassica campestris (syn. B. rapa, B. campestris var. oleifera)

Parts used:

Seed; Oil is used as Mustard oil

Temperature & Taste:

Warm, dry. Pungent

Uses:

1. Clears Wind-Cold:
-Fever, Cold, Influenza with Cold symptoms
-acute Sinusitis
-Itchy skin diseases

2. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine:
-Edema, fluid retention
-Wind-Damp joint or muscle pain

3. Warms the Stomach:
-indigestion
-cold abdominal pain
-increases digestive and insulin secretions

4. Moves the Blood, Clears Stasis:
-pain in the abdomen from Blood stasis
-Postpartum Bleeding (TCM)
-Dysmenorrhea
-regarded as a Heart tonic (when Heart is weak from Cold)

5. Moisten Intestines, Moves the Bowels:
-constipation from cold (TCM)
-used for Worms when associated with Cold and Damp stagnation

6. Externally:
-applied to the upper back for Cough, Bronchitis
-applied to rheumatic pains (oil, seed paste)
-topically to Fractures

Dose:

Powder: 500mg–1 gram
Oil or Seed paste is used externally

Main Combinations:

1. Oil for Rheumatism, Field Mustard seed, Costus, Ginger, Calamus, Garlic, boiled in Sesame oil (Ayurveda)