Rajika
Rajika is a substance used in the Ayurvedic materia medica. Sinigrin (glucosinolate precursor) is hydrolyzed by myrosinase to AITC upon tissue damage. Erucic acid in mustard oil is slowly metabolized and may accumulate; low-erucic acid varieties preferred for dietary use.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Rajika |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Katu | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu, Tikshna | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Ushna | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
What is it made of?
Mineral/Elemental Profile
- Primary component: Mineral-derived preparation
- Note: Composition varies by specific preparation method
Analytical Methods: XRD, ICP-OES, SEM-EDS
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (seed powder), Taila (mustard oil), Lepa (paste/poultice), Capsule, Tablet, Condiment formulation, Essential oil (external)
Standard Dosage: 1-3 g seed powder daily; 5-10 mL mustard oil for cooking; topical paste as needed; 500 mg seed extract daily
Bioavailability: Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) from Brassica juncea (Rajika/brown mustard) has excellent oral bioavailability (>80%) with rapid absorption (Tmax <30 min). Sinigrin (glucosinolate precursor) is hydrolyzed by myrosinase to AITC upon tissue damage. Erucic acid in mustard oil is slowly metabolized and may accumulate; low-erucic acid varieties preferred for dietary use. Selenium content varies with soil and is well absorbed (~75%). Topical application of mustard oil provides warming counter-irritant effect through TRPA1 activation.
Optimal Timing: Seed powder: with meals as digestive. Oil: cooking use or topical massage before bath. Paste/poultice: apply warm to affected area for 15-20 minutes, avoid prolonged skin contact (can cause blistering).
Standardized Extract: Rajika seed extract standardized to sinigrin >3% (intact glucosinolate) or AITC >1% (hydrolyzed form). Cold-pressed mustard oil with erucic acid content documented, acid value <4 mg KOH/g.
Shelf Life: Seeds: 12-24 months; Cold-pressed oil: 6-12 months; Mustard essential oil: 24-36 months; Seed extract: 18-24 months; Capsules: 24 months
Storage: Seeds: cool, dry, pest-proof, below 25 deg C. Oil: amber glass or tin, below 25 deg C, protect from light (photooxidation). Essential oil: amber glass, tightly sealed, 15-25 deg C. Powder: airtight, dry, below 25 deg C.
Marker Compounds: Sinigrin, Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), Erucic acid, Oleic acid, Gluconapin, Selenium, Sinapine, Myrosinase (enzyme activity)
Extraction Methods
- Cold-press extraction for mustard oil
- Hydrodistillation or steam distillation for volatile oil (AITC)
- Aqueous extraction after myrosinase-mediated hydrolysis
- Hydroalcoholic extraction (50-60% ethanol) for glucosinolate preservation
- Enzyme-treated extraction (add exogenous myrosinase) for maximum isothiocyanate yield
Synergistic Combinations
- Haridra (anti-inflammatory paste for joint pain)
- Sarshapa/White mustard (combined mustard formulation)
- Saindhava Lavana (digestive and appetizer combination)
- Rasona/Garlic (cardiovascular and metabolic combination)
- Tila/Sesame (blended oil for Abhyanga massage)
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.