Mustards
Mustards are several plant species in the genera Brassica and Sinapis belonging to the Brassicaceae family whose seeds are used as spices. The most cul¬tivated are black mustard (Brassica nigra), white mus-tard (Brassica or Sinapis alba), and oriental or Indian mustard (Brassica juncea). Mustards are used as food flavoring and in traditional medicine as emetics and diuretics, as well as a topical treatment for inflam-matory conditions such as arthritis and rheumatism. Mustard seeds contain numerous chemical constitu-ents, including carotenes and phenolic compounds, but the most investigated are glucosinolates, the thio-cyanate glycosides from which derive the spice fla¬vor. These glucosinolates, when hydrolyzed by the enzyme myrosinase to flavor-active isothiocyanates, are responsible of the pungency of the spice. Gluco-sinolates are typical constituents of Brassica species, which also include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, caper, etc. They have been extensively investigated for their potential beneficial effects, espe¬cially as potential anticancer agents, because of their detoxification activity that derives primarily from their ability to affect the metabolism of carcinogenic substances, including several pro-oxidants, through the modulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes, i.e., the induction of phase II enzymes and the inhibition of phase I enzymes [58]. The mechanisms of action of glucosinolates and related isothiocyanates are multi-ple, and include also antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immuno-modulatory activities [58]. The anti-dia-betic potential of mustard is suggested by a few ani¬mal studies that have shown a hypoglycemic effect in rats of black and oriental mustard [13,59].