Nutmeg Pharmacognosy 1| What is nutmeg

Nutmeg Pharmacognosy 1| What is nutmeg hello friends welcome to our website here we are going to discuss here about nutmeg about its Synonyms, biological source, Geographical distribution, Cultivation and collection, description, Extra features, chemical constituents, uses.

Table of Contents

Nutmeg

What is nutmeg

Synonyms Myristica, Nux Moschata, jaiphal

Geographical distribution : nutmeg is indigenous to molucca Island and cultivated in Indonesia, west indies, and other tropical countries. In India it is cultivated in kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Nutmeg biological source

Nutmeg cconsist of dried kernels of seeds of Myristica fragrans Houtt family Myristicaceae. The seeds are freed from their arillus and seed coat. It contains not less than 5% volume by weight volatile oil.

Cultivation and collection

The pplant is a deciduous tree bearing female and male flowers separately. The drug is obtained from female plant. Nutmeg thrives well in warm humid climate and grown in locations from sea level to an altitude of 900 M. The requirement of the Rainfall is about 200 to 259 cm. Sandy, loam, clay loam soils are used to cultivate.

vegetative propagation of nutmeg is possible. The seedlings are raised in the nursery beds. The seeds take about 2 to 3 months for germination. When the seedlings are about 16 to 18 months old, they are transplanted by keeping the distance of 8 to 9m in between them. The nutmeg essentially needs shade for its protection. If sufficient rain is is not available, irrigation is necessary. Fertilizers and manures are provided to plant from time to time. The sex of plant is determined and male trees are reduced to 10% of the total population. Fruits are produced by plants throughout year but the number is maximum from December to May. The fruits are suitable for picking when the husk of fully ripe nut splits or else they are allowed to drop on the ground after dehusking. The red feathery aril covering seed is detached from seed shell by hands and flattened out in the sun. It takes about 4 to 8 weeks for drying of the drug in sun. It is dried by artificial heat. Shells are broken up and nutmegs are removed.normally the full grown female tree under favourable conditions produce 2 to 3 thousands fruits per year weighing 10 kg and 1.5 to 3 kg of mace. Thus 100 female plants located in a hectare Can produce 1000kg of nutmeg and 150 to 300 kg of mace. Commercially the plantation is economical only when the plants are more than 10 years old.

Nutmeg color

Colour : Externally the kernels are greenish brown or brown

Odour : Strongly aromatic

Taste : pungent and aromatic

Size : kernels are about 20 to 30 mm in length and 20 mm broad.

Shape : Ellipsoidal

Extra features : The kernels are externally covered with small irregular patches or lines.

Nutmeg oil

Nutmeg ccontains 5 to 15 % of volatile oil, and about 30 % of fat. The volatile oil contains about 4 to 8 % myristic in, ellemicin and saffrole. The fatty acid constituents of the fixed oil are myristic about 60%,palmitic, oleic, lauric and other acids. The fat of nutmeg is also known as nutmeg butter. The other constituents of the drug are protein and starch.

Myristicin mmethoxy saffrole is very poisonous and the narcotic effect of the drug is said to be due to myristic in. Geraniol, terpineol, campphene etc. Are the other constituents of volatile oil of nutmeg.

Nutmeg uses

It is uused as an aromatic, stimulant and carminatives. It is used as flavouring agent, the fat nutmeg butter also known as Banda soap, is used in soap industrial. The fat and volatile oil of nutmeg are used in the treatment of rheumatism.