Linseed, also known as flax seed, is cultivated in many subtropical countries. The seeds are oval, flattened, and elongated with one end rounded and the other pointed. Linseed contains fixed oil, mucilage, protein, and the cyanogenetic glycoside linamarin. It is used as an expectorant, diuretic, demulcent, and laxative and finds various industrial uses in products like linoleum, greases, polishes, polymers, varnishes, paints, and printing inks. An infusion of the seeds is used as a demulcent for colds, coughs, bronchial issues, urinary tract inflammation, and diarrhea.

1. LINSEED
Synonyms
Flax seed , Alsi (Hindi).
Biological Source
Linseed is the dried, ripe seed of Linum usitatissimum Linn. Linseed oil is obtained by
expression of linseeds.
Family- Linaceae.
Geographical Source
Linseed is cultivated in many sub-tropical countries such as South America, India, United States,
Canada, England, Russia, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Algeria.
Morphology of Seeds
The annual plant is erect and grows up to a height of 1.2m (3ft 11inc.) with slender stems.
1- Leaves- Glaucous green in colour, slender lanceolate; 20-40mm long and 3mm broad.
2- Flowers- Pure Pale blue or bright red in colour;15-25mmin diameter and has five petals.
3- Fruits- Round, dry capsules;5-9mmin diameter; contains several glossy brown seeds.
4- Seeds- Oval, Flattened, elongated, rounded at one end, obliquely pointed at the other
end; 4-6mm long.
Chemical Constituents
Linseed contains fixed oil (30–40%), mucilage (6–10%), protein (25%) (linin and colinin), small
amount of enzyme lipase, and linamarin which is a cyanogenetic glycoside. The carbohydrates
present are sucrose, The other constituents are phytin, lecithin, wax, resin, pigments, malic acid,
cyanogenic glycosides linustatin neolinustatin, and secoisolariciresinol and phenylpropanoid
glucoside linusitamarin.
On hydrolysis Linseed oil produces unsaturated acids like linolenic acid (30–50%), linoleic acid
(23–24%), oleic acid (10–18%) together with saturated acids-myristic, stearic, and palmitic (5–
11%).

2. Uses
Linseed is used as expectorant, diuretic, demulcent, and laxative properties and is utilized
externally in lotions and liniments. Nonstaining iodine ointment soap, linoleum, greases,
polishes, polymers, varnishes, paints, putty, oil cloths, printing inks, artificial rubber, tracing
cloth, tanning and enamelling leather, etc. are also prepared from Linseed oil.
The mucilaginous infusion is used internally as a demulcent in colds, coughs, bronchial
affections, inflammation of the urinary tract, gonorrhoea, and diarrhoea.