Fragrance Profile Of Myristica Fragrans

Abstract

Nutmeg is the common name for Myristica fragrans Houtt., an evergreen tree that grows naturally in Indonesia and is grown in tropical areas like India, Malaysia, Grenada, and Sri Lanka. The plant produces two main spices: nutmeg (the seed kernel) and mace (the aril). Both contain 5–15% essential oil that is high in monoterpenes (like sabinene, α-pinene, and β-myrcene), phenylpropanoids (like myristicin, safrole, and elemicin), and other compounds like eugenol and caryophyllene. The yield of essential oils varies depending on the part of the plant and the extraction method. For example, hydrodistillation or supercritical CO₂ fluid extraction (SCFE) yields 0.7–3.2% from leaves, 8.1–10.3% from mace, 0.3–12.5% from seeds, and 6.2–7.6% from kernels. SCFE is faster (15–60 minutes) and has a similar chemical profile to traditional water steam distillation. Nutmeg essential oil has a wide range of bioactivities, such as being an antioxidant (it fights free radicals), an antimicrobial (it fights Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and pasites), The main pharmacological actions of nutmeg oil include anti-inflammatory action through cytokine production inhibition, analgesia and anticonvulsant activities; the antitumor action, as demonstrated by its cytotoxicity on several different cell lineages. Other uses are hepatoprotective, insecticidal, and memory-enhancing, which is supported empirically by its traditional Ayurvedic, Unani, use in the treatment of digestive disorders, rheumatism, insomnia, and as an aphrodisiac. However, high dosage causes toxicity through the action of myristicin and elemicin components leading to cardiovascular, central nervous system intoxication with hallucinations and seizures, anticholinergic symptoms and gastrointestinal side effects. This review has summed up evidence conducted between 2000 and 2023 showing the promising therapeutic potential of nutmeg oil and critically the need to take the dosages carefully to reduce the adverse effects, and also recommending further mechanistic research to bring it to the next level of becoming a pharmaceutical agent.