|
Myristica fragrans Houtt. Handleid Hist. Nat. Linn.
|
English Name |
Nutmeg, Common Nutmeg, Common Nut-meg, Mace |
|
Latin name |
Myristica fragrans Houtt. Handleid Hist. Nat. Linn. |
|
Family & Genus |
Myristicaceae, Myristica |
|
Description |
Evergreen undershrubs, as tall as 15m. Young branches thin and long; leaves alternate, leathery, elliptic or elliptic lanceolate, 4-8cm long, apex short acuminate, base cuneate or nearly circular, entire, both surfaces glabrous, lateral veins 6-10 pairs; petiole 0.6-1.2cm long. Male inflorescence racemous drooping, 2.5-5cm long, has flowers 4-8 or more, flowers 4-5mm long; tepals 3 (4), densely grey brown tomentous; female inflorescence longer than male inflorescence, peduncle sturdy, has flowers 1-2, flowers ca. 6mm long, tepals 3, densely tomentulose, peduncle ca. 8mm long, bractlets inserted in perianth base; ovary elliptic, style quite short, 2 lobed. Infructescence has fruits 1-2, 3.5-5cm long; fruits pear shaped or nearly spheric. Seed 1, woody, ovate, 2-3cm long, ca. 2cm in diam. |
|
Distribution |
Cultivated in tropical regions, as well as in Taiwan, Guangdong and Yunnan, etc. The medicinal materials are mainly produced in Malaysia, Indonesia and etc. |
|
Part Used |
Medical part: kernel and aril. Chinese name: kernel: Roudoukou. Aril: Roudoukouyi. |
|
Harvest & Processing |
Kernel: collected mature fruits, removed the pericarp, picked off the aril, gradually baked the kernel by 45 ℃ low temperature, often turning over, stop baking when the kernels are sounding when shaking. Aril: collected mature fruits, taken out the kernel (nutmeg), put the fresh arils in shed, air drying to bright in color and shrinking, then press them flat, sun-dried until the color become orange red from bright red. |
|
Chemistry |
Kernel contains trimyristin, and a little fatty oil such as triolein, sabinene, limonene, bornylene, myristicin, citronellol, p-cymene, myrcene, linalool, cis and trans-Resveratrol and eugenol. Aril contains myristicin, elemicin, eugenol methyl ether, safrole, propyl alcohols, guaiacin, fragansin, fragransol, myristicanol, verrucosin, nectandrin B, verrucosin and anthriscinol, etc. |
|
Pharmacology |
Kernel: having effect on smooth muscle of stomach and intestine, sedative and anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory; toxic. Aril: having effect on glutathione S-transferase. |
|
Properties & Actions |
Seed nut: taste pungent, little bitter, warm in nature. Aril: taste pungent, warm in nature.Kernel: warming inside, inducing astringency bowel, activating qi-flow and promoting digestion. Aril: aromatic and tonifying stomach. |
|
Indications & Usage |
Kernel: used for diarrhea of deficiency type, cold dysentery, gastric and abdominal swelling pain, poor appetite and vomiting, indigestion. Arillus: used for distention of stomach and abdomen, anorexia, vomiting and diarrhea.Kernel: oral administration: decocting, 1.5-6g; or made as pills or powders. Not use in case of damp-heat and diarrhea and hyperactivity due to yin deficiency. Aril: oral administration: decocting, 1.5-5g. |
|
Examples |
Kernel:
1. Long lasting diarrhea and dysentery, asthenia cold of intestine and stomach, dreg not aggregated: Nutmeg (cooked), white lead (stir-fried), bone fossil of big mammals (calcined), alumbre (calcined) of equal amount. Grind into powder, prepare paste pills. Measure the pill size and swallow with rice water.
2. Weakness of the spleen and the stomach, lingering diarrhea, dysentery with red and white feces, not drug indicated: Nutmeg (cut into pieces, stir-fried to yellow), opium poppy shell (pestle into pieces, mix evenly with honey, stir fry to black, yellow), ural licorice (cut into pieces, stir-fried to yellow black), dry ginger (cut into pieces, stir-fried to yellow black). Take the above drugs of equal amount, grind into powder, and take 25g each time. |
| Link to |
 Chinese Medicinal Material Images Database
Phytochemical Image Database
Chinese Medicine Specimen Database
|
|
