Rape oil is used in massage and oil baths, believed to strengthen the skin and keep it cool and healthy. With camphor it is applied for rheumatism and stiff joints. Medicinally, root used in chronic coughs and bronchial catarrh. Rape cake contains a sinigrin-like substance called gluconapin, which on hydrolysis yields an irritant sulphur containing oil. Glycerides from the leaves yield hexadecatrienoic acid.
Root contains allantoic acid and allantoin.
Toxicity Irritant poisoning of stock can occur with acute or hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Rape has been incriminated in several poisoning syndromes, i.e. respiratory, digestive, nervous, and urinary. It is thought that crosses of Brassica oleracea subsp. Brassica napus subsp. Brassica napus subsp.