Abstract
Nutmeg is a dioecious evergreen tree with strong antioxidant properties and this correlates well with the total phenolic content. This chapter describes the botany, history, producing regions, flavor and aroma, parts used, and active constituents. The chapter also highlights the uses of nutmeg in different recipes around the world. Nutmeg has been reported to have carminative, stimulative, emmenagogue, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiobesity, larvicidal, molluscicidal, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant properties. Finally the medicinal uses, functional properties, and antioxidant properties of nutmeg are discussed in great detail.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Akinboro A, Mohamed KB, Asmawi MZ, Sulaiman SF, Sofiman OA (2011) Antioxidants in aqueous extract of Myristica fragrans (Houtt.) suppress mitosis and cyclophosphamide-induced chromosomal aberrations in Allium cepa L. cells. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 12(11):915–922
Calliste CA, Kozlowski D, Durox JL, Champavier Y, Chulia AJ, Trouillas P (2010) A new antioxidant from wild nutmeg. Food Chem 118(3):489–496
Chaubey MK (2008) Fumigant toxicity of essential oils from some common spices against pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). J Oleo Sci 57(3):171–179
Checker R, Chatterjee S, Sharma D, Gupta S, Variyar P, Sharma A, Poduval TB (2008) Immunomodulatory and radioprotective effects of lignans derived from fresh nutmeg mace (Myristica fragrans) in mammalian splenocytes. Int Immunopharmacol 8(5):661–669
Chirathaworn C, Kongcharoensuntorn W, Dechdoungchan T, Alisa Lowanitchapat PS, Poovorawan Y (2007) Myristica fragrans Houtt. methanolic extract induces apoptosis in a human leukemia cell line through SIRT1 mRNA downregulation. J Med Assoc Thai 90(11):2422–2428
Cho JY, Choi GJ, Son SW, Jang KS, Lim HK, Lee SO, Sung ND, Cho KY, Kim JC (2007) Isolation and antifungal activity of lignans from Myristica fragrans against various plant pathogenic fungi. Pest Manag Sci 63(9):935–940
Chung JY, Choo JH, Lee MH, Hwang JK (2006) Anticariogenic activity of macelignan isolated from Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) against Streptococcus mutans. Phytomedicine 13(4): 261–266
Cuong TD, Hung TM, Na M, Ha do T, Kim JC, Lee D, Ryoo S, Lee JH, Choi JS, Min BS (2011) Inhibitory effect on NO production of phenolic compounds from Myristica fragrans. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 21(22):6884–6887
Dhingra D, Parle M, Kulkarni SK (2006) Comparative brain cholinesterase-inhibiting activity of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Myristica fragrans, ascorbic acid, and metrifonate in mice. J Med Food 9(2):281–283
Duan L, Tao HW, Hao XJ, Gu QQ, Zhu WM (2009) Cytotoxic and antioxidative phenolic compounds from the traditional Chinese medicinal plant, Myristica fragrans. Planta Med 75(11): 1241–1245
Ho SC, Tsai TH, Tsai PJ, Lin CC (2008) Protective capacities of certain spices against peroxynitrite-mediated biomolecular damage. Food Chem Toxicol 46(3):920–928
Kong B, Zhang H, Xiong YL (2010) Antioxidant activity of spice extracts in a liposome system and in cooked pork patties and the possible mode of action. Meat Sci 85(4):772–778
Kwon HS, Kim MJ, Jeong HJ, Yang MS, Park KH, Jeong TS, Lee WS (2008) Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-antioxidant lignans from Myristica fragrans seeds. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 18(1):194–198
Lee JY, Park W (2011) Anti-inflammatory effect of myristicin on RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid. Molecules 16(8):7132–7142
Lee KK, Kim JH, Cho JJ, Choi JD (1999) Inhibitory effects of 150 plant extracts on elastase activity, and their anti-inflammatory effects. Int J Cosmet Sci 21(2):71–82
Lee SU, Shim KS, Ryu SY, Min YK, Kim SH (2009) Machilin A isolated from Myristica fragrans stimulates osteoblast differentiation. Planta Med 75(2):152–157
Lee MS, Kim KJ, Kim D, Lee KE, Hwang JK (2011) meso-Dihydroguaiaretic acid inhibits hepatic lipid accumulation by activating AMP-activated protein kinase in human HepG2 cells. Biol Pharm Bull 34(10):1628–1630
Ma J, Hwang YK, Cho WH, Han SH, Hwang JK, Han JS (2009) Macelignan attenuates activations of mitogen-activated protein kinases and nuclear factor kappa B induced by lipopolysaccharide in microglial cells. Biol Pharm Bull 32(6):1085–1090
Maeda A, Tanimoto S, Abe T, Kazama S, Tanizawa H, Nomura M (2008) Chemical constituents of Myristica fragrans Houttuyn seed and their physiological activities. Yakugaku Zasshi 128(1):129–133
Morita T, Jinno K, Kawagishi H, Arimoto Y, Suganuma H, Inakuma T, Sugiyama K (2003) Hepatoprotective effect of myristicin from nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) on lipopolysaccharide/d-galactosamine-induced liver injury. J Agric Food Chem 51(6):1560–1565
Murcia MA, Egea I, Romojaro F, Parras P, Jimenez AM, Martinez-Tome M (2004) Antioxidant evaluation in dessert spices compared with common food additives. Influence of irradiation procedure. J Agric Food Chem 52(7):1872–1881
Narasimhan B, Dhake AS (2006) Antibacterial principles from Myristica fragrans seeds. J Med Food 9(3):395–399
Nguyen PH, Le TV, Kang HW, Chae J, Kim SK, Kwon KI, Seo DB, Lee SJ, Oh WK (2010) AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activators from Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) and their anti-obesity effect. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 20(14):4128–4131
Park S, Lee DK, Yang CH (1998) Inhibition of fos-jun-DNA complex formation by dihydroguaiaretic acid and in vitro cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. Cancer Lett 127(1–2):23–28
Patil SB, Ghadyale VA, Taklikar SS, Kulkarni CR, Arvindekar AU (2011) Insulin secretagogue, alpha-glucosidase and antioxidant activity of some selected spices in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 66(1):85–90
Senthilkumar N, Varma P, Gurusubramanian G (2009) Larvicidal and adulticidal activities of some medicinal plants against the malarial vector, Anopheles stephensi (Liston). Parasitol Res 104(2):237–244
Sharma M, Kumar M (2007) Radioprotection of Swiss albino mice by Myristica fragrans houtt. J Radiat Res 48(2):135–141
Sohn JH, Han KL, Choo JH, Hwang JK (2007) Macelignan protects HepG2 cells against tert-butylhydroperoxide-induced oxidative damage. Biofactors 29(1):1–10
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Charles, D.J. (2012). Nutmeg. In: Antioxidant Properties of Spices, Herbs and Other Sources. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4310-0_41
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4310-0_41
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-4309-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-4310-0
eBook Packages: Chemistry and Materials ScienceChemistry and Material Science (R0)