Notes on poisoning: 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.

References:

Fenwick, G. R., Heaney, R. K., Mawson, R. 1989. Glucosinolates. Pages 1-41 in Cheeke, P. R., ed. Toxicants of plant origin. Vol. II. Glycosides. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., USA. 277 pp.

Kernaleguen, A., Smith, R. A., Yong, C. W. 1989. Acute mustard seed toxicosis in beef cattle. Can. Vet. J., 30: 524.

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.

Vernacular name(s): Indian mustard

Scientific family name: Cruciferae

Vernacular family name: mustard

Go to ITIS*^ca for more taxonomic information on: Brassica juncea

References:

Agriculture Quebec. 1975. Noms des maladies des plantes du Canada/ Names of plant diseases in Canada. , Quebec City, Que., Canada. 288 pp.

Alex, J. F., Cayouette, R., Mulligan, G. A. 1980. Common and botanical names of weeds in Canada/Noms populaire et scientifiques des plantes nuisibles du Canada. Revised. Agric. Can. Publ., Ottawa, Ont., Canada. 132 pp.

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Scoggan, H. J. 1978, 1979. The flora of Canada. Nat. Mus. Nat. Sci. (Ottawa) Publ. Bot. 7(1)-7(4). 1711 pp.

Van Wijk, H. L. 1911. A dictionary of plant names. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, The Netherlands. 1444 pp.

Victorin, M. 1964. Flore Laurentienne. 2nd ed. Univ. Montreal, Montreal, Que., Canada. 952 pp.

Geographic Information

Alberta
British Columbia
Newfoundland
Northwest Territories
Ontario
Quebec
Saskatchewan

References:

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Boivin, B. 1966, 1967. Énumération des plantes du Canada. Provencheria 6. Nat. Can. (Que.) 93: 253-274; 371-437; 583-646; 989-1063. 94: 131-157; 471-528; 625-655.

Image or illustration

Images: images.google.com

Toxic parts:

leaves
seeds

References:

Fenwick, G. R., Heaney, R. K., Mawson, R. 1989. Glucosinolates. Pages 1-41 in Cheeke, P. R., ed. Toxicants of plant origin. Vol. II. Glycosides. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., USA. 277 pp.

Toxic plant chemicals:

glucosinolates

glucosinolates

glucosinolates

S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide (SMCO)

Chemical diagram(s) are courtesy of Ruth McDiarmid, Biochemistry Technician, Kamloops Range Station, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kamploops, British Columbia, Canada.

References:

Fenwick, G. R., Heaney, R. K., Mawson, R. 1989. Glucosinolates. Pages 1-41 in Cheeke, P. R., ed. Toxicants of plant origin. Vol. II. Glycosides. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., USA. 277 pp.

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:

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).

References:

Kernaleguen, A., Smith, R. A., Yong, C. W. 1989. Acute mustard seed toxicosis in beef cattle. Can. Vet. J., 30: 524.

Swine