Pankaj ji It seems you have not gone through these websites: "The seeds contain 22–36% of a pale yellow non-edible oil, called *argemone oil* or *katkar oil*," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argemone_mexicana
"When mustard oil is adulterated deliberately (as in most cases) or accidentally with argemone oil," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemic_dropsy I hope these and hundreds others on the net are not bookish. -- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 http://www.gurcharanfamily.com/ http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ On Sat, May 5, 2012 at 8:51 PM, Gurcharan Singh <singh...@gmail.com> wrote: > Perhaps I rely more on CSIR than Pankaj Oudhia. Others should call you > expert rather than you claiming to be so. I think you see sindica in your > dreams always. God bless you to become more tolerant, more humble in life. > There are people on this group who have identified hundreds of plants but > never boast. You did not have any role in solving the sindica confusion > other than an arrogant outburst. Only myself and Tabish who both had > confusion ultimately solved the confusion. > Please come out of this sindica syndrome, and contribute in the group > with grace. There are many others on the group who know about plants but > never boast like you. > > -- > Dr. Gurcharan Singh > Retired Associate Professor > SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 > Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. > Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 > http://www.gurcharanfamily.com/ > http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ > > > > On Sat, May 5, 2012 at 1:04 PM, Pankaj Oudhia <pankajoud...@gmail.com>wrote: > >> Again Bookish Knowledge Gurcharan ji. It reminded me the Sindica episode. >> >> Trying to take permission for uploading film on Argemone Dropsy prepared >> with the help of BBC and young researchers of Vidarbha on the issue. >> >> I am saying on the basis of ground level experiences (I am sure you are >> not). May be information given in Useful plants of India is wrong. You can >> quote Pankaj Oudhia (Personal communication) if you want to use this >> statement for academic purpose. >> >> regards >> >> Pankaj Oudhia >> >> >> On Sat, May 5, 2012 at 11:23 AM, Gurcharan Singh <singh...@gmail.com>wrote: >> >>> Surprised to read the statement >>> >>> "In fact, there is no Argemone oil as such in market. Argemone seeds >>> are adulterated with Mustard seeds due to similarity. Argemone oil is not >>> mixed with Mustard oil, its seeds only (with Mustard seeds)" >>> >>> I think this quote from Useful Plants of India (CSIR, I don't find any >>> reason to doubt this publication) should clarify: >>> >>> "Seeds yield a nauseous, bitter, non-edible oil, used in cutaneous >>> troubles; it is cathartic. Presence of Argemone oil in edible mustard oil >>> is probably responsible for outbreaks of epidemic dropsy; mixed with drying >>> oi, such a linseed oil, it may be used in paint industry; also used for >>> soap-making." >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Dr. Gurcharan Singh >>> Retired Associate Professor >>> SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 >>> Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. >>> Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 >>> http://www.gurcharanfamily.com/ >>> http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ >>> >>> l >>> >>> . >>> >>> >>> >>> On Tue, May 1, 2012 at 10:42 AM, Pankaj Oudhia >>> <pankajoud...@gmail.com>wrote: >>> >>>> It is always good to take second opinion specially in technical issues. >>>> >>>> regards >>>> >>>> Pankaj Oudhia >>>> >>>> >>>> On Tue, May 1, 2012 at 10:04 AM, vikram jit singh < >>>> vikramjitsing...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Thanks for the clarification, Mr Oudhia. I based my statement on the >>>>> following info provided by ushadi in the earlier discussion on this >>>>> flower: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> *What i find fascinating is that the tradesmen try to pass the buck >>>>> and say the adulteration was accidental... most often its intentional .. >>>>> since the Sheyal Kanta oil is very cheap... compared to Mustard oil... >>>>> * >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Apr 30, 2012 at 10:54 AM, Pankaj Oudhia < >>>>> pankajoud...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Thanks for sharing. Worrying about this statement >>>>>> >>>>>> "Argemone oil is much cheaper than mustard oil." >>>>>> >>>>>> In fact, there is no Argemone oil as such in market. Argemone seeds >>>>>> are adulterated with Mustard seeds due to similarity. Argemone oil is not >>>>>> mixed with Mustard oil, its seeds only (with Mustard seeds). >>>>>> >>>>>> regards >>>>>> >>>>>> Pankaj Oudhia >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Mon, Apr 30, 2012 at 10:46 AM, vikram jit singh < >>>>>> vikramjitsing...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Dear all, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I am attaching a scan of my sunday column in the hindustan times, >>>>>>> which carried the piece on argemone mexicana. the full text is pasted >>>>>>> below >>>>>>> for ready reference. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Thanks. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ------------------------------ >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> *wildbuzz* >>>>>>> >>>>>>> *Vikram Jit Singh* >>>>>>> >>>>>>> *Ninny ki prem kahani* >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ** *Wild creatures suffer when men go to war. The 323 Air Defence >>>>>>> Regiment was undertaking a field firing exercise of radar-enabled L70 >>>>>>> guns >>>>>>> in the famous Pokharan deserts of Rajasthan. When the fire and brimstone >>>>>>> eased, soldiers found a terrorised Chinkara fawn. Then C.O. of the >>>>>>> Regiment, Col. Prem Kumar, posted a Havildar at the spot to stand guard >>>>>>> over the fawn, hoping the mother would return. However, the mother was >>>>>>> probably dead and after a full day's wait, the Regiment adopted the fawn >>>>>>> and christened him `Ninny'. A string of beads was put around its dainty >>>>>>> neck. Ninny took readily to the Regiment and the hardened soldiers' >>>>>>> hearts >>>>>>> melted when Ninny frequented their tents for a tasty morsel. The fawn's >>>>>>> HQs >>>>>>> was Col. Kumar's house. Whenever annoyed at his whims not being pandered >>>>>>> to, Ninny would slink into the Puja room and sulk for hours! As Ninny >>>>>>> grew, >>>>>>> the Regiment built a mini zoo with a flock of domesticated geese to >>>>>>> keep Ninny company. Such was the camarderie that one one memorable >>>>>>> occasion >>>>>>> when Col. Kumar was herding the geese, he got a rude butt in his >>>>>>> backside. >>>>>>> It was Ninny rushing to the defence of his goosey girlfriends! >>>>>>> >>>>>>> *April phool* >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ** * A flower of vivid yellow blooms wild in the scrubland forests >>>>>>> of the Lower Shiwaliks behind the Sukhna lake. Don't be fooled by its >>>>>>> brilliance, though. The Argemone Mexicana (Prickly poppy), which is a >>>>>>> plant >>>>>>> native to Mexico and the West Indies, has been used by traders >>>>>>> to adulterate mustard and rape seed oils. This is because the seeds of >>>>>>> Argemone and mustard look very similar. According to botanists of the >>>>>>> group, efloraofindia, even if 1g of Argemone seeds are mixed >>>>>>> with 100g of oil, it leads to capillary leakage of protein-rich fluids >>>>>>> into >>>>>>> soft tissues of the human body. The ailment is called Dropsy and it has >>>>>>> no >>>>>>> specific therapy. There were Dropsy epidemics in India in 1934 (more >>>>>>> than >>>>>>> 2,000 cases) and in 1998, when 52 died and 2,500 more were hospitalised. >>>>>>> This prompted the Government to temporarily ban mustard oil. New cases >>>>>>> appeared in the summer of 2003. Efloraofindia botanists say tradesmen >>>>>>> try >>>>>>> to pass the buck by claiming adulteration was accidental. However, more >>>>>>> often than not, adulteration is intentional since Argemone oil is much >>>>>>> cheaper than mustard oil. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> *Snakes evict Minister* >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ** *Snakes seem to have launched a drive to evict Punjab Cabinet >>>>>>> Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike from his sprawling bunglow (956 in Sector >>>>>>> 39, >>>>>>> Chandigarh). In the last five years, a dozen snakes have surfaced >>>>>>> amongst >>>>>>> the jittery Ranikes. The latest intrusion came when a 3.5 feet Common >>>>>>> krait >>>>>>> was rescued by snake-rescue expert Salim Khan from Ranike's back lawns >>>>>>> on a >>>>>>> midnight emergency call last Thursday. The krait is India's most >>>>>>> venomous >>>>>>> snake, with a toxicity reckoned to be 15 times that of a cobra. A >>>>>>> nocturnal >>>>>>> snake, It is encountered frequently in City Beautiful homes, stealing >>>>>>> around the kitchens in search of cockroaches and lizards. Two pet dogs >>>>>>> of >>>>>>> the Minister have died. One dog died after it was bitten by cobra/krait. >>>>>>> The other dog, a Bull mastiff, died after it was given wrong veterinary >>>>>>> treatment following a bite on its face by the Rat snake, which is a >>>>>>> non-venomous species. The mastiff had valiantly battled the snake in the >>>>>>> laundry room and defended two trembling pups. The snake invasion is one >>>>>>> of >>>>>>> the main reasons why Ranike is shifting residence to Sector 2, >>>>>>> Chandigarh. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> *Flights delayed * >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ** *The highly-endangered Yellow-eyed pigeon has gladdened the >>>>>>> hearts of ornithologists by prolonging its stay at the Tal Chhapar >>>>>>> wildlife >>>>>>> sanctuary in Rajasthan. Tal Chhapar's energetic Range Forest Officer, SS >>>>>>> Poonia, reports a 100 of these pigeons in April this year. In previous >>>>>>> years, the pigeons flew back to Central Asian breeding grounds from Tal >>>>>>> Chhapar by March. Historical records of British ornithologists show that >>>>>>> there are few instances where these pigeons have been sighted in April. >>>>>>> These include sightings by Hugh Whistler in 1912 at Phillaur; Sirsa >>>>>>> in 1896; Delhi in 1876; and by Per Undeland at the Harike Wildlife >>>>>>> sanctuary, Punjab, in April-May 1995. Colloquially called the Salara in >>>>>>> Punjab, the pigeon was last seen at Harike at the beginning of this >>>>>>> decade. >>>>>>> The shift from pulses and mustard to the wheat-rice cycle robbed this >>>>>>> pigeon of a suitable habitat in Punjab. The pigeon's worldwide >>>>>>> population >>>>>>> is now between 10,000-20,000 with hunting pressures in its breeding >>>>>>> grounds >>>>>>> contributing to a drastic decline. Black clouds of thousands of pigeons >>>>>>> once frequented the Punjab in the early 20th century. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -------------------------------------ENDS---------------------------------- >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 10:03 PM, ushadi Micromini < >>>>>>> microminipho...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Vikram: If you were to google it... you'll see that the seeds are >>>>>>>> a deliberate adulterant of mustard seeds, even as little as 1 gram per >>>>>>>> hundred grams of oil leads to capillary leakage of protein rich fluids >>>>>>>> into >>>>>>>> soft tissues of the body and hence the name Dropsy... which has no >>>>>>>> specific therapy, once a diagnosis is made ... treatment is only >>>>>>>> supportive.... and a definitive diagnosis can be made by detecting the >>>>>>>> exact toxin sanguinarine in Urine... such dropsy most recover >>>>>>>> but there are instances where death/deaths occur.. and hence is a >>>>>>>> public >>>>>>>> health hazard... >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> What i find fascinating is that the tradesmen try to pass the buck >>>>>>>> and say the adulteration was accidental... most often its intentional >>>>>>>> .. >>>>>>>> since the Sheyal Kanta oil is very cheap... compared to Mustard oil... >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> There is a very strongly put forward argument at this URL , that I >>>>>>>> found to the point and very informative >>>>>>>> http://www.itg.be/itg/distancelearning/lecturenotesvandenendene/47_Medical_problems_caused_by_plantsp8.htmof >>>>>>>> about 4000 pages that show up on google. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Good luck >>>>>>>> and please send us a reprint or scanned article when you do write >>>>>>>> this up.... >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Usha di >>>>>>>> ============ >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 2:21 PM, vikram jit singh < >>>>>>>> vikramjitsing...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Dear Mr Garg, >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Could your group of experts please help identify and describe this >>>>>>>>> wild flower i photographed in the foothills of chandigarh, ie the >>>>>>>>> Lower >>>>>>>>> Shiwaliks. . >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> I am writing about these flowers in the newspaper and would >>>>>>>>> require your expertise. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Regards, >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Vikram Jit Singh. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> 9814019356 >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> 215 Sector 19 >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Chandigarh. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Columnist and writer for >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> *The Times of India* >>>>>>>>> * >>>>>>>>> * >>>>>>>>> Columnist for* >>>>>>>>> * >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> *The Dainik Bhaskar* >>>>>>>>> * >>>>>>>>> * >>>>>>>>> *The Hindustan Times.* >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> Usha di >>>>>>>> =========== >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >> > > >
