Indian mustard
General poisoning notes:
Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) is a naturalized herb found across much of Canada. This plant can contain large quantities of toxins that are common to the genus Brassica. Many of these compounds are being reduced through plant breeding. See the comments under sections of Brassica oleracea, which include a discussion of problems in relation to this genus.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.
Vernacular name(s): Indian mustard
Scientific family name: Cruciferae
Vernacular family name: mustard
Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.
Geographic Information
Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan.
Toxic parts:
Leaves, seeds
Toxic plant chemicals:
glucosinolates
Glucosinolates
S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide (SMCO)
S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide
Chemical diagram(s) are courtesy of Ruth McDiarmid, Biochemistry Technician, Kamloops Range Station, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kamploops, British Columbia, Canada.
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
Cattle
General symptoms of poisoning:
Abortion, death, dehydration, gait, staggering.
Notes on poisoning:
In one case in Saskatchewan, a herd of cattle gained access to waste mustard seed. Six cows died and two were ill. Symptoms included depression, staggering, and reluctance to move. Several cows aborted, but most showed clinical signs of sickness. Postmortem findings revealed profuse edema of the forestomachs and abomasum. A 2-3 cm layer of clear, yellowish, gelatinous fluid was present under the serosa of the rumen, reticulum, and omasum. Allylisothiocyanate at a rate of 1000 mg/100 mL was liberated from the seeds. A rate of 250 mg/100 mL is regarded as acutely toxic to cattle (Kernaleguen et al. 1989).
