Myristica fragrans. Nux Moschata   Nutmeg   Family Myristicaceae     
Nutmeg is a popular domestic culinary spice.


PART USED: Seeds
ODOR: Aromatic TASTE: Aromatic and bitter
ACTIONS
GROUP: The Gastro-Intestinal Tract- Stomachic
1. Stomachic.
2. Antiemetic.[1,2,3]
3. Aperitive.
4. Carminative.[1,2,3]  Sedative nervine.
5. Stomachic. Orexigenic.[1,3] Gastric secretory stimulant.[1]
6. Spasmolytic.[1,2,3]
7. Prostaglandin inhibitor.[1,2]
Topically: Antirheumatic.[1] Antiinflammatory.[3]
INDICATIONS
1. Flatulent dyspepsia.[1] Flatulence.[3] Diarrhea.[1,3] Nausea.[1,3] Dysentery.[1] Vomiting.[3]
2. Nervous fragileness - "To comfort the head and nerves" especially -with changeableness and bewilderment.
4. Palpitations.
5. Rheumatic disorders.
6. Faintness.
Topically: Rheumatism- liniment or cream.[1]
SPECIFIC INDICATIONS: Flatulent nervous dyspepsia.[1]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Medicinal doses are contra-indicated in epilepsy and pregnancy.
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS  3X/day
Powdered seed  0.3-1g.[1,2,3]
Nutmeg oil BPC 0.05-0.2 ml.[3]
Local;  Liniment or "Nutmeg butter"
NOTE- Large doses are hallucinogenic and excitant to the motor cortex.[1,2]
         

PART USED: Mace- the arillus surrounding the Nutmeg.    
This product is unrelated to the self defence sprays made by the brand name "Mace", which are either orthochlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS) tear gas or oleoresin capsicum pepper spray. The original self defence chemical “mace” was first developed in the 60’s with an active ingredient- phenacyl chloride (CN).
TASTE: A mix between cinnamon and pepper or a more extreme version of nutmeg. ODOR: Aromatic, pungent, characteristic
ACTIONS- Mace is used as a flavoring in cookery.
1. Stimulant.[3] Carminative.[3]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: High doses cause intoxication and hallucinations.[3]
    

ORIGIN: Molucca Islands and New Guinea, introduced into Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
DESCRIPTION: A tree cultivated in Indonesia and the West Indies and indigenous to the Moluccas. Mace; A brittle, semitranslucent, net-like, reddish or orange-brown structure. When pressed with the nail it exudes oil. The seed is ovoid, about 3 cm long and 2 cm broad, with a pale brown surface reticulately patterned with grouved, lines and specs. The internal structure is variegated brown and white, due to the infolding of the darker perisperm into the endosperm.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Cultivation, Harvesting and Supply.
The tree bears fruit when five to eight years old. There are two types of mace, West Indian and East Indian. The fruit turn yellow when ripe and the pulpy outer husk (pericarp) splits into two halves exposing a purplish-brown shinny seed surrounded by a red aril. Usually the fruits are allowed to split and fall to the ground before harvesting. They should be collected as soon as possible or the underside of the fruit will become discoloured and the risk of mouldiness will be increased. In some areas, a long pole is used to take opened pods directly from the tree. This ensures a better quality harvest but can also result in damage to flowers and younger fruit.[1]
References
[1] en.howtopedia.org
Available at:
www.herbies.com.au
Constituents.

Research.
Extracts of nutmeg decrease kidney prostaglandin levels in rats,[1] inhibit contractions of rat stomach strips produced by prostaglindin E2 and decrease levels of prostaglandin like material produced by isolated human colon.[2] They also inhibit platelet aggregation; this activity was found to be due to eugenol and isoeugenol.[3] Nutmeg has been used successfully in the treatment of Chrohn's disease.[4] However nutmeg oil decreases fertility in rats,[5] and some constituents are carcinogenic.[6] Large doses causes intoxication, hypnosis and tachycardia; these actions are thought to be due to the hallucinogenic- myristicin, but some the other constituents have hypnotic activity at least.[7,8]
References
[1] Misra, V. et al. (1978) Ind. J. Med. Res. 67, 482
[2] Bennett, A. et al. New Eng. J. Med. 290, 110
[3] Rasheed, A. et al. (1984) Planta Med. 50 (2), 222
[4] Shafkan, I. et al. (1977) New Eng. J. Med. 296, 694
[5] Pecevski, J. et al. (1980) Toxicol. Lett. 7, 739
[6] Miller, E. C. et al. (1983) Cancer Res. 43, 1124
[7] Kim, et al. (1978) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 537, 22
[8] Effertz, B. et al. (1979) Z. Pflanzenphysiol. 92, 319

Pharmacological studies on Myristica fragrans--antidiarrheal, hypnotic, analgesic and hemodynamic (blood pressure) parameters
J K Grover, S Khandkar, V Vats, Y Dhunnoo, D Das
Abstract
Recurrent diarrhea is prevalent in developing countries, particularly in tropical regions. A natural based antidiarrheal home remedy can serve as an ideal health tool to limit diarrhea-related morbidity and mortality. In the traditional Indian medical science of Ayurveda, nutmeg is one such plant said to possess antidiarrheal activity. A study was therefore planned to assess the various pharmacological effects (antidiarrheal, sedative, analgesic and blood pressure) of nutmeg. Both Nutmeg crude suspension (NMC) and petroleum ether (PE), but not aqueous extract (Aq), decreased the mean number of loose stools or increased the latency period. NMC increased intestinal tone while PE had no such effect. PE had no effect on guinea pig ileum, but inhibited the contraction produced by acetylcholine, histamine and prostaglandin. NMC but not PE extract showed a significant but weak analgesic effect. While PE effectively potentiated both phenobarbitone and pentobarbitone-induced sleeping time, NMC was considerably less effective. NMC administered intraduodenally did not produce much effect on blood pressure (BP), but potentiated the action of exogenously administered adrenaline and nor-adrenaline. On the other hand, PE in higher, but not lower, doses caused a precipitous fall in BP not blocked by atropine. Thus, overall extracts of nutmeg showed a good antidiarrheal effect, with a significant sedative property. The extracts possessed only a weak analgesic effect, with no harmful effects on blood pressure and ECG.
Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol 2002 Dec;24(10):675-80. doi: 10.1358/mf.2002.24.10.802317. PMID: 12616960 DOI: 10.1358/mf.2002.24.10.802317 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Protective Effect of Myristica fragrans Houtt. Extracts Against Obesity and Inflammation by Regulating Free Fatty Acids Metabolism in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
by Wenyu Zhao, Fanfen Song, Diangeng Hu, Haiqin Chen, Qixiao Zhai, Wenwei Lu, Jianxin Zhao, Hao Zhang, Wei Chen, Zhennan Gu, OrcID andGang Wang*
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a disorder characterized by the excess accumulation of fat in the hepatocytes. It is commonly associated with severe obesity and inflammation. Free fatty acids (FFAs) are the key to regulate lipid metabolism and immune response in hepatocyte cells. This study examined the effects of AEN (alcohol extract of nutmeg, the seed of Myristica fragrans Houtt.) on the inhibition of lipid synthesis and inflammation in vitro and in vivo and on high-fat diet-induced obesity in NAFLD mice. Our results showed that AEN treatment could downregulate the expression of lipid synthesis-related genes fatty acid synthase (FASN) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) and lower the lipid content of cells. AEN also inhibited FFAs-mediated inflammation-related cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor a (TNFa) expression in cells. In a mouse model, AEN reduced the bodyweight of obese mice and improved NAFLD without affecting food intake. Further analysis revealed that AEN significantly reduced inflammation level, cholesterol and lipid accumulation, blood glucose, and other liver function indexes in mice fed with a high-fat diet. In conclusion, AEN inhibited the aggravation of obesity and inflammation by downregulating lipid-gene expression in the liver to ameliorate NAFLD.
Nutrients 2020, 12(9), 2507; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12092507
Received: 11 July 2020 / Revised: 5 August 2020 / Accepted: 17 August 2020 / Published: 19 August 2020 mdpi.com