SARSAPA (Seed)

Sarsapa consists of dried seed of Brassica campestris Linn. (Fam. Brassicacem), an erect, stout, simple or branched, glaucous, annual herb, 50 to 60 cm tall with amplexicaul leaves, commonly cultivated in Bengal, Bihar, D.P. and Punjab, and also found occasionally as an escape in waste places and fields.

SYNONYMS

Sansk. : Katusneha, Siddhartha
Assam. : —
Beng. : Sarisa
Eng. : Mustard
Guj. : Sarasad, Rai
Hindi. : Saraso
Kan. : Sasuve, Sasuvm, Sasive
Kash. : —
Mal. : Katuka
Mar. : Mohari
Ori. : —
Punj. : Sarayo, Sarson
Tam. : Kaduga
Tel. : Avalu
Urdu. : Sarson

DESCRIPTION

a) Macroscopic

Seeds small, slightly oblong, pale or reddish-brown, bright, smooth, 1.2- 1.5 mm in dia.; under magnifying glass it is seen to be minutely reticulated; taste, bitter and sharp.

b) Microscopic

Seed shows single layered colourless testa followed by 3-5 layered, non-lignified, hexagonal, thick-walled cells filled with yellowish-brown contents; embryo and endosperm consists of hexagonal, thin-walled parenchymatous cells containing oil globules.

Powder – Yellow in colour with brown particles and oily, slightly bitter and sharp in taste; shows frequently thick-walled, fragments of reddish-brown cells of hypodermis, yellowish hyaline masses.

IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH

Foreign matter Not more than 2 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.2
Total ash Not more than 5 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.3
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 0.5 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.4
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 8 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.6
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 16 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.7
Fixed Oil Not less than 35 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.8

T.L.C. –

T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Toluene: Ethylacetate (9 : 1) shows under UV (366 nm) two fluorescent zones at Rf. O. 12 and 0.59 (both blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour three spots appear at Rf. 0.12, 0.59 and 0.70 (all yellow). On spraying with Anisaldehyde-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for ten minutes at 1050 C three spots appear at Rf. 0.12, 0.59 and 0.70 (all violet).

CONSTITUENTS – Fixed Oil.

PROPERTIES AND ACTION

Rasa : Katu, Tikta
Guna : Snigdha, Tiksna
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Dipana, Kaphahara, Pittakara, Vatahara, Vidaha, Hrdya.

IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Maha Yogaraja Guggulu, Karpasasthyadi Taila, Kunkumadi Taila, Prabhanjana Vimardana Taila, Vajraka Taila.

THERAPEUTIC USES – Kandu, Kustha, Kosthakrmi, Grahabadha.

DOSE – 0.5-1 g. in paste form.

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