Nucsoara (myristica fragrans)Arbore foarte inalt (poate atinge spre 20 metri intaltime), intalnit in tara noastra doar cultivat. Scoarta are culoare verzuie. Frunzele sunt verde inchis, ovale, de dimensiuni mari. Florile sunt mici, in forma de clopotel si au culoare galbena. Fructul este rotund, are diverse culori de la maro deschis pana la roscat, in functie de soi si contine un sambure destul de mare. In scop fitoterapeutic sunt utilizate semintele care au culoare cafenie si forma ovala. Are proprietati calmante, afrodisiace, sedative, tonice. Nucsoara este utilizata ca si condiment in gastronomie, pentru aromatizarea preparatelor culinare, avand gust dulce, picant.

Uz intern:

- boli gastrointestinale, stari de greata, tuse, paraziti intestinali, tulburari de erectie, apetit scazut, nevralgie, insomnie - sub forma de infuzie, decoct, macerat.

Uz extern:

- halena - sub forma de gargara.

Efecte adverse:

- Supradozajul poate duce la iritatii.Extern, pulberea de nucsoara se foloseste pentru a fi presarata pe rani, grabindu-le acestora vindecarea. Procesata cu ulei de susan, in medicina indiana, nucsoara se utilizeaza pentru masaje in cazul paraliziilor generale sau faciale. Poate fi amestecata cu miere si, aplicata pe cicatrici, le elimina complet. In hipotermie si transpiratii reci, se frictioneaza intreg corpul cu aceasta pulbere, eventual amestecata cu ghimbir.

Decoctul se foloseste pentru gargara, in cazurile de stomatita, halitoza, dureri de dinti si pentru a intari dintii si gingiile. De asemenea, ajuta la tratarea debilitatii cardiace, menoragiei, a durerilor de cap precum si pentru reglarea ciclului menstrual (daca este consumat zilnic). Daca in decoct se mai adauga ghimbir si scortisoara, poate fi utilizat in tratarea afectiunilor aparatului respirator (astm, tuse, hempotizie, sinuzita), diaree si diureza marita.

Durerile de dinti mai pot fi diminuate prin simpla mestecare a nucsoarei. Uleiul obtinut din aceasta imbunatateste digestia si reda apetitul, reduce considerabil spasmele si contractile musculare, dar este si un bun detoxifiant.Nucsoara este un condiment exotic putin cunoscut si intrebuintat in Romania caruia i-au fost atribuite nenumarate efecte curative din cele mai vechi timpuri. Aceasta poate fi cumparata din comert, fie intreaga, fie sub forma de pulbere galben-maronie. Chiar daca este inrudita cu scotisoara si deseori sunt utilizate simultan la prepararea bucatelor, se deosebeste de aceasta prin aroma, gust si proprietati.  In medicina chineza uleiul de nucsoara este folosit de foarte mult timp pentru tratarea durerilor de stomac, stimularea digestiei si pentru reducerea durerilor de articulatii. Studii moderne efectuate au confirmat cele enuntate mai sus si au completat cu alte cateva aspecte necunoscute pana de curand.

 Consumul de nucsoara sub forma de pulbere sau sub forma de ulei stimuleaza sistemul cardio-vascular asigurand cresterea circulatiei sanguine a celor hipotensivi. Uleiul de nucsoara are si proprietati antiinflamatorii si poate trata durerile de articulatii si pe cele musculare daca este utilizat la masarea zonelor afectate.  Nucsoara combate cu eficienta stresul si stimuleaza activitatea creierului si pe cea mentala. Mult inaintea noastra grecii si romanii foloseau in antichitate acest condiment ca tonic cerebral in ciuda faptului ca era foarte costisitor si greu de obtinut.  Astazi se cunoaste in plus ca este capabil sa trateze insomnia si unele afectiuni respiratorii precum astmul. Medicina holistica sustine ca tonifica ficatul ajutand in procesul de detoxifiere a organismului si de asemenea ca faciliteaza eliminarea pietrelor la rinichi.  Beneficiile oferite de nucsoara nu se reduc doar la cele mentionate insa este foarte important sa cunoasteti ca va pasc si unele pericole daca o consumati in cantitati excesive.  Daca veti intrebuinta in alimentatie o cantitate mai mare nu inseamna ca efectele benefice vor fi pe masura, ci dimpotriva. Consumata in cantitati de peste 30g (echivalentul a cateva lingurite) pe zi, nucsoara devine toxica si extrem de daunatoare.

Denumire stiintifica: Myristica fragrans Fam. Myristicaceae In alte limbi: engleza: Nutmeg; franceza: Muscade; germana: Muskatnub; italiana: Noce moscata; spaniola: Moscada, Nuez moscada

Nucsoara a fost una dintre cele mai scumpe mirodenii care a ajuns in Europa prin secolul al – IX - lea prin intermediul negutatorilor arabi si a fost folosita mai intai la aromarea berii.

Dupa unii autori, arborele de nucsoara este un copac vesnic verde, de 10- 20 m inaltime, originar din zona Malaysiei, crescut azi, in scop comercial, in diverse regiuni cu clima calda. Arborii de nucsoara au cerinte specifice si nu sunt usor de crescut, deoarece au nevoie de foarte multa lumina, ploi abundente, umiditate mare si de un humus nisipos, intr-o zona de deal. Puietii obtinuti prin autoinsamantare sunt crescuti pentru plantatii noi. Scoarta lor are o culoare verde - gri, iar frunzele sunt de un verde inchis, cu o forma ovala, de dimensiuni mari (lungi de cca. 10 cm).

Florile sunt mici, in forma de clopotel si au culoare galbena. Arborele de nucsoara are flori atat masculine, cat si feminine, care rodesc, ambele tipuri fiind necesare fertilizarii; exemplarele din urma dau fructe mai bune. Copacii incep sa faca fructe dupa 15- 20 ani de la plantare, in numar de 1500 - 2000 bucati / an si care seamana la aspect cu caisa. Fiecare fruct consta dintr-o pulpa carnoasa ce inconjoara o singura samanta comestibila (nucsoara) de forma rotunda, cu un diametru de 5 - 6 cm. Acest sambure de consistenta lemnoasa este imbracat intr-o pielita rosie ce reprezinta coaja de nucsoara numita macis - un tesut intre pulpa fructului si sambure. Macisul este de culoare rosie stralucitoare sau purpurie in momentul recoltarii, dar devine cafenie atunci cand este uscata.

Aceste fibre roscat- portocalii se desprind de pe fruct atunci cand sunt uscate si se folosesc tot ca un condiment, fiind la fel de aromate ca si nucsoara. Fructele arborilor autohtoni sunt lasate sa se coaca si sa cada singure, avand astfel cea mai buna aroma, dar ele trebuie adunate de pe sol in maxim 24 ore pentru ca incep sa isi pierda din calitati. Fructele pot fi atacate de o boala care determina deschiderea prematura a lor, samburii devenind astfel improprii consumului. Durata de

viabilitate a semintelor este foarte scurta, sub 24 ore, astfel ca, oricat am vrea, nu se poate obtine o planta cumparand o nucsoara. In cultura, arborele de nucsoara se inmulteste prin semintele puse in paturi de germinare; dupa 6 luni ele sunt transplantate pe plantatii. Arborii infloresc prima data dupa 5 ani, dar maturizarea lui dureaza circa 15 ani si rodesc timp de 50 de ani. Fructul este recoltat manual folosindu-se prajini cu plasa in varf. Acestuia i se scoate samburele si apoi se indepartata coaja, care este aplatizata intre scanduri. Samburele este pus la uscat, pana cand la scuturare scoate un zornait si, abia atunci este decorticat. Cei mai buni copaci si cu rod bogat sunt cei altoiti. Ei nu necesita tundere, dar locul unde cresc trebuie curatat de tufe sau alte plante cu care ar putea intra in competitie.

Dupa alti autori, pomii de nucsoara au in jur de 1,5 m inaltime. In realitate, este vorba de existenta a doua soiuri de nucsoara: rosie si verde.

Nucsoara rosie are fructe mai mari decat cea verde. Este folosita mai mult pentru curry si supe. Nucsoara verde are aroma mai rafinata, mai pregnanta decat cea rosie, fiind folosita cu precadere ca intaritor de gust pentru dulciuri si bauturi.

Beneficii / Utilizare Nucsoara:

Gustul nucsoarei este dulce, putin iute, slab astringent si el trebuie sa se faca numai usor simtit, de aceea se foloseste in cantitati foarte mici si, pe cat este posibil, doar de adulti. Este preferabil sa se cumpere nucsoare intregi si sa se macine atunci cand este nevoie pentru ca in stare macinata, nucsoara isi pierde repede aroma. Nucsoarele intregi si cele sub forma de pudra se pastreaza la adapost de lumina, aer si umezeala.

Din punct de vedere yoga, este dublu yin, iar al Ayurvedei  este rece, uscat. In Ayurveda, nucsoara ajuta la calmarea nervilor si decontracteaza musculatura.

Exista peste 100 de specii de nucsoara, dintre care doua sunt inrudite si folosite ca surogat de nucsoara si coaja de nucsoara: Myristica argentea, nucsoara Macassar din Noua Guinee si Myristica malabarica, nucsoara Bombaz din sudul Indiei.

In timp ce ultima are aroma slaba, prima este descrisa ca avand o aroma si un gust puternic si persistent. Ambele surogate se disting dupa forma: nucsoara de Banda are samburi in forma de ou, celelalte specii au forma bobului de porumb.

IstoricOriginara din Insulele Molucce ( sau Insulele Mirodeniilor), cunoscuta si in Egiptul Antic, unde era folosita la imbalsamare, nucsoara este mentionata pentru prima oara de scriitorul Plinius. Ea a fost intrebuintata inca din vechime, atat drept condiment, cat si aromatizant al incaperilor. Fumigatiile cu nucsoara erau la mare moda in vremea aceea.

Ulterior ( sec. XI-XIII) cruciatii o raspandesc in Europa ajungand pana in Tarile Scandinave si ocupa locul al doilea ca importanta si pret - dupa piper. In epoca medievala nucsoarei ii era atribuita o putere magica, efectele si virtutile ei fiind regasite in numeroase scrieri (sec. XVIII) din care aflam ca planta era considerata un "filtru de dragoste" in amestecul cu vin, daca era bauta de catre doi indragostiti.

Multa vreme portughezii au fost aceia care au detinut monopolul comertului cu nucsoara datorita faptului ca au tinut secret locul de unde adunau aceste fructe. Incetul cu incetul insa, olandezii au preluat de la acestia titlul de ’’carausi ai marilor’’ si au devenit furnizori de condimente pentru intreaga Europa.

Nucsoara era foarte scumpa si se gasea destul de rar, mai ales ca olandezii au restrictionat aria de crestere a arborelui de nucsoara la doua insule din arhipelagul Mauritius. Cu toata grija lor de a controla scoaterea fructelor de nucsoara din aceste insule, pasarile au dus in cioc fructele pe insulele invecinate, astfel condimentul a devenit mai popular. Dar asta numai dupa ce Compania Britanica a Indiilor de Est a initiat cultivarea nucsoarei si in Penang, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, precum si in Insula Grenada.

Dar nu numai englezii, ci si francezii reusesc sa sparga monopolul olandez asupra condimentelor datorita lui Pierre Poivre care a intreprins voiaje secrete in Indonezia de unde a luat seminte de nucsoara si cuisoare pe care le-a plantat in insulele colonizate de francezi: Ile de France (Mauritius) si Ile Bourbon (Réunion). 

In Extremul Orient, nu exista medicament natural care sa nu aiba in el macar un condiment, aceasta, pentru ca plantele aromatizante amplifica foarte mult absorbtia principiilor active de catre organism. O arta foarte subtila si rafinata, cultivata de milenii in Orient, este aceea de a influenta mintea si psihicul cu ajutorul condimentelor. Nucsoara, de exemplu, in anumite doze, devine un euforizant extraordinar de puternic, iar in doze foarte mari este un drog halucinogen cu actiune mai intensa decat a morfinei.

Nucsoara, desi este in mod normal folosita ca un condiment, ea poate sa fie in acelasi timp un drog, chiar o otrava. Inghitirea a 2 grame de nucsoara da aceleasi efecte ca luarea de amfetamine, dar care va da si ameteli, febra si dureri de cap. Ingerarea a 7,5 grame vor cauza convulsii, iar 10 grame vor da halucinatii. A manca o nucsoara intreaga, poate insemna “psihoza de nucsoara” care include sentimente de confuzie si agitatie. Sunt inregistrate pana si cazuri de deces din cauza nucsoarei

Continut Nuscoara contine uleiuri esentiale si saponina, iar semintele coapte si uscate ale fructului contin un ulei volatil si un ulei fix. Frunzele uscate ale arborelui elimina un ulei esential constand in miristicina, o substanta toxica.

Samanta are o aroma puternica si un gust caracteristic, picant si usor amarui, datorita continutului ridicat in ulei eteric (8-15%, în medie 12%) si un ulei gras aromatic (untul de nucsoara), format din triglicerida acidului miristic.

Beneficii / Utilizare Parti folosite: semintele (nucsoara) Pana sa devina celebra ca un condiment, nucsoara a fost mai importanta ca leac. Este folosita si azi in medicina ayurvedica, mai ales pentru afectiuni digestive deoarece contine uleiuri concentrate si este foarte aromata. Totusi, in exces, se dovedeste extrem de toxica, ea continand mai multi compusi ce provoaca halucinatii si ataca ficatul.

* Orientalii o folosesc nu numai ca si condiment, ci si ca remediu direct in caz de infectii intestinale: se rade putina nucsoara in apa, apoi se consuma cu totul, iar preventiv, se adauga 1 varf de cutit de pudra la sosuri si alte preparate culinare. * Nucsoara regleaza tranzitul intestinal: pentru aceasta se pune 1 varf de cutit de pudra de nucsoara peste cerealele de la micul dejun. Efectul este uluitor. * In afara proprietatilor ei antiseptice, nucsoara este un stimulant al stomacului, deloc neglijabil, ce neutralizeaza fermentarea si elimina gazele. * Excitant aromat, nucsoara intra in reteta lichiorurilor digestive si aperitive, in apa de melisa si otetul de toaleta. * Pentru remedierea si practic vindecarea anxietatii - se rade sau se macina cu masina de rasnit cafea 1 nucsoara. Se foloseste cate 1 varf de cutit cu pulbere pus in mancare, ceaiuri etc. * Pentru usurarea durerilor reumatice sau pentru tonifierea muschilor sportivilor, nucsoara se foloseste la prepararea alcoolului pentru frectie, astfel: amestecul format din nucsoara pisata 10 g, scortisoara 3 g, cuisoare 3 g, sofran 1 g, muguri de pin 10 g, bace de ienupar 20 g se pun la macerat timp de 8 zile in 1/2 l alcool, se

strecoara, apoi se combina cu 1/2 l apa. Acest preparat obtinut se completeaza prin adaugarea de 10 picaturi din urmatoarele esente: lavanda, lamaioara si rozmarin. * Nucsoara intareste inima si plamanii, are efect diuretic si invioreaza spiritual. Ea ajuta ficatul, dezintoxica, este antiinflamatoare, are proprietati bactericide, antiseptice, stimuleaza sistemul imunitar, este antioxidant, elimina viermii intestinali. Combate stenozarea si rigidizarea arterelor, asigurand fluidizarea circulatiei sanguine; reduce presiunea sangvina, intensifica circulatia sangelui; reduce depozitele grase din jurul ficatului, inimii si aortei; inhiba formarea de cheaguri in sange;

* Cu ajutorul ei se poate trata guturaiul si nasul infundat: se freaca intre degete o bucata de nucsoara, apoi se inspira pe nas mirosurile eterice emanate de aceasta. In cantitati mici este un excitant usor. * Ajuta in caz de ejaculare precoce: se ia zilnic 1/2 lingurita de nucsoara pisata, cu apa, in doza unica. * Reduce balonarile abdominale, elimina gazele, da pofta de mancare, calmeaza durerile, vindeca hemoroizii si bolile din regiunea anusului. Ca remediu specific pentru diareea cauzata de indigestii este utilizat amestecul format din 1 varf de cutit cu pudra de nucsoara si suc de mere sau banana. * Pentru a trata deshidratarea provocata de voma si diaree, un tratament eficient este reprezentat de o infuzie pregatita din 1/2 nucsoara in 1/2 l apa, administrata cu apa usoara de nuca de cocos, in doze de 15 ml / administrare. * In calmarea durerilor abdominale, stomacale si anorexie: se intrebuinteaza 50 g nucsoara macinata fin cu rasnita de cafea pusa in 250 ml alcool de 70 grade si tinuta pentru 15 zile la macerat. Se strecoara si se administreaza cate 1 lingurita o data, diluata cu 100 ml apa. * Ajuta in intoxicatii si muscaturi veninoase si la vindecarea umflaturilor din gura. * Are un efect calmant, stimuleaza respiratia, functiile cerebrale si este afrodisiaca. * Combate insomnia prin administrarea de pasta de nuscoara amestecata cu miere. * Se pun la macerat de dimineata pana seara 1/2 -1 lingurita de nucsoara cu 1 cana de apa. Se bea din acest macerat, cu sau fara miere, inainte de culcare sau, pentru un somn bun, adaugati intr-un pahar de lapte cald 1 lingurita de miere si 1 varf de cutit de nucsoara. * Nucsoara amelioreaza bolile de ficat si splina. Scade nivelul colesterolului rau, calmeaza durerile provocate de guta si alte afectiuni articulare. * Pentru o actiune de calmant al durerilor, cat si la refacerea circulatiei sau chiar la cicatrizarea anumitor rani se macina cu rasnita de cafea o cantitate de 2-3 nucsoare. Pudra se amesteca cu 100 g lanolina (unt, untura etc), pe baie de aburi, se fierbe 2 ore, se strecoara. Se repune tot pe baia de aburi, impreuna cu 1 lingurita de ceara de albine si se lasa pana se topeste, apoi se ia de pe foc si se amesteca pana la racire. Se pastreaza in cutiute mici, la rece. Pentru a se mentine mai mult timp se adauga la fiecare 50 g de crema 10 picaturi de suc de lamaie filtrat. Se utilizeaza aplicata in strat fin pe piele. * Elimina pietrele la rinichi si vezica. Pentru aceasta se face o bautura din seminte de nucsoara, samburi de pepene galben, apa si miere. Bautura inlatura si dificultatea de mictiune. * Ajuta in caz de dureri de cap- in acest scop, nucsoara se inmoaie in apa, se zdrobeste si se face o pasta care se aplica pe frunte timp de 20 min. * Este un bun remediu impotriva durerilor din urechi, de dinti si gingii. Pentru acesta se face gargara cu apa de gura optinuta prin fierberea semintelor de nucsoara pana scade apa la 1/4. * In caz de nevralgii se bea o infuzie de nucsoara: 1- 2 varfuri de cutit praf de nucsoara la 1 cana apa. Durerea va fi alinata considerabil, resimtind in timp scurt o stare agreabila de confort. * Halena (miros urat al gurii) poate fi eliminata daca inainte sau dupa masa se ia 1 varf de cutit de nucsoara, impreuna cu 1 varf de cutit de cuisoare * Vindeca repede cosurile- se amesteca cateva picaturi de lapte cu pudra de nucsoara pana rezulta o pasta. Aplicata pe cos, punctiform, strict pe locul cu probleme are efect antiinflamator si reduce roseata. * Tot in scopuri terapeutice se foloseste si uleiul de nucsoara, destul de scump, care are un miros foarte placut, cald, dulce si picant. Utilizarea sa este de data relativ recenta desi se distileaza in India de cateva secole. El este folosit, aproape exclusiv sub forma administrarii externe pentru reducerea inflamatiilor si durerilor articulare, in inflamatiile musculare si ale tendoanelor, precum si ca agent de aromatizare. * Este moderat Yang, bland incalzitor si tonic general. Principala sa actiune este asupra sistemului digestiv.

* Uleiul de nucsoara verde se intrebuinteaza in caz de dureri de urechi si vedere nocturna. * Uleiul mai este utilizat la prepararea unor alifii, lotiuni pentru par, a parfumurilor si ca antispastic carminativ.

Intrebuintari culinare In gastronomie, nucsoarea este foarte frecvent utilizata in Asia, dar a cucerit si bucataria europeana. Daca in Orient, nucsoara se adauga pana si in cafea si ceai, grecii o combina cu scortisoara, iar rezultatul este cu totul si cu totul special. Tot grecii pun nucsoara si scotisoara in amestecurile de carne pe care le folosesc in musacale si chiftele, iar efectul este cu adevarat, savuros. Italienii o combina cu sucul de rosii, care pune in evidenta latura picanta a condimentului. Ea este nelipsita si din preparatele dulci cu branza moale. Nucsoara face un duet apetisant cu vanilia. Se adauga si in bauturi, in vin fiert, in alcool rafinat si in unele sortimente de whiskey.

Pentru o savoare si eleganta gustativa incercati si adauga pudra de nucsoara, proaspat macinata peste broccoli si conopida, gatite la aburi, in pilaful de pui si peste pestele prajit, precum si peste cartofii copti, dupa moda olandeza, sau presarati nucsoara peste oua ochiuri si in pastele cu branza.

Incercati si puneti nucsoara si scortisoara in parti egale, in placinta cu branza, in cea cu dovleac si veti fi placut surprinsi de gustul obtinut. Putem afirma ca nucsoara este un aliat eficient intr-o nutritie sanatoasa.

Nucsoara este un ingredient - cheie in amestecul de condimente, cum ar fi mixul nord- african ras- el- hanout (din Maroc), galat-dagga (din Tunisia) si baharat (din Arabia Saudita). Data pe razatoare sau tocata, nucsoara are o gama larga de intrebuintari, folosindu-se, de la aluaturi, budinci, pana la bauturi picante. * De asemenea, se combina bine cu un numar mare de preparate aromate, cum ar fi umpluturile pentru paste, sosurile pe baza de smantana sau frisca, precum bechamelul, ori mancarea de spanac. * Este utilizata pentru aromarea carnatilor, da gust bun muraturilor, pastelor fainoase. * Nucsoara este foarte buna si cu pestele, mielul, in orice fel de tocaturi, fructe de mare sau creveti, in preparatele cu oua, branzeturi, ciuperci, rosii, conopida, anghinare, sparanghel. Se foloseste la prepararea supelor limpezi sau in sufleuri. Ea da o aroma aparte legumelor, precum varza si mai ales pireului de cartofi. * Se poate pune in cremele cu lapte, prajituri cu branza, cu fructe, turta dulce si biscuiti. Putina nucsoara adaugata la compozitia unei placinte cu cirese sau mere da un gust cu totul deosebit acesteia. * Se foloseste la preparatele de cofetarie si patiserie si cu ea se poate aromatiza bauturi ca tuica, lichiorul si pentru a accentua gustul si a deveini mai parfumate se pune in sticle cate o nucsoara. * Pulpa fructului de nucsoara poate fi folosita la prepararea unor delicioase jeleuri si siropuri. * Amestecul in parti egale de nucsoara si scortisoara poate substitui aroma de cardamom negru. * Uleiul de nucsoara, fiind foarte aromat, se foloseste in industria cosmeticelor.

Nucsoara este un condiment care nu trebuie sa lipseasca din nici o bucatarie. Se poate folosi fie pudra, gata macinata, dar acesta trebuie sa fie pastrata intr-un recipient bine inchis, la loc uscat, fie samburele intreg, din care sa se rada cand si cat este necesar. Ultima varianta, mai scumpa, o sa va ofere cu adevarat gustul si aroma nucsoarei.

Precautii :Nu ne gandim prea mult cand vine vorba de condimentele cu care aromatizam mancarea de zi cu zi, dar adevarul este ca unele mirodenii contin compusi foarte puternici. Intrebuintata in cantitatile indicate din retetele culinare, nucsoara ne face bine, in caz contrar, ne poate dauna. Folosita in exces, irita sistemul nervos central. In doze foarte mari, este un drog halucinogen cu actiune mai mare decat a morfinei. Ca o curiozitate, primul caz de otravire cu nucsoara a fost consemnat in 1576, in Anglia.

Nucsoara trebuie consumata in doze foarte mici. In doze apreciabile excita cortexul motor si produce convulsii epileptice si leziuni ale ficatului. Chiar si o lingurita de nucsoara poate produce simptome toxice, precum arsuri stomacale, greata, voma, agitatie si ameteli insotite de halucinatii.

Atentie - nu se recomanda femeilor insarcinate sau care alapteaza.

 Autor: Lucia_bp

Acest condiment aromat, nucsoara, este foarte benefic pentru sănătatea dumneavoastră deoarece îmbunătăţeste pofta de mâncare, trateaza problemele digestive, reduce flatulenta, relaxeaza musculatura si controleaza astmul.

Mai mult, uleiul de nucsoara este eficient în calmarea durerilor. Cu toate acestea, ar trebui să fie consumat în cantităţi mici, pentru a evita efectele sale secundare.

În afară de beneficiile medicinale, nucsoara este, de asemenea, utilizata pentru scopuri culinare, datorita gustului sau usor picant si mirosului dulce, asemanator scortisoarei.

Denumire stiintifica: Myristica fragrans (Houtt.)

Aceasta planta este originara din Insulele Banda din Indonezia. În plus, este cultivata în Grenada, India, Malaezia, Indiile de Vest şi Sri Lanka. Planta face parte din familia Myristicaceae.

Proprietăţi curative

Nucsoara are proprietati stimulente, carminative, antimicrobiene, anti-inflamatorii, antispasmodice, psihoactive şi afrodisiace. În plus, nucsoara este benefica pentru sistemul cardiovascular.

Nucsoara ajuta la digestie, amelioreaza diareea şi balonarea şi previne gazele stomacale. Este utila în tratarea problemelor pielii cum ar fi eczemele si acneea. În plus, aceasta ajută la eliminarea respiratiei urat mirositoare si este, de asemenea, utilizata în diverse siropuri de tuse.

În plus, nucsoara îmbunătăţeşte circulaţia şi scade tensiunea arterială. În plus, ajută în tratamentul anxietatii, depresiei, insomniei si impotentei. Mai mult decât atât, aceasta planta terapeutica poate fi folosita pentru detoxifierea ficatului şi rinichilor.

Uleiul de nucsoara este bogat in eugenol, care ajuta la calmarea durerilor obisnuite. Planta este adesea inclusa în tonice sexuale. Uleiul esenţial de nucsoara, de obicei, se combină cu cel de muscata, rozmarin, chiparos, salvie, piper negru şi portocale.

În ceea ce priveşte valoarea nutritivă, nucsoara conţine compuşi derivaţi chimici, bogati in antioxidanti. În plus, aceasta conţine uleiuri esenţiale, cum ar fi dipentene, pinen, sabinene sau terpeniol.

De asemenea, nucsoara contine vitamine din complexul B, vitamina C, vitamina A, acid folic, niacina si riboflavina. Planta este, de asemenea, o sursa foarte buna de minerale ( calciu, magneziu, fosfor şi potasiu).

Măsuri de precauţie

Atunci cand este consumata în exces, nucsoara poate provoca probleme precum lipsa de concentrare, nelinişte, exaltare şi halucinaţie. Alte efecte secundare includ dureri de stomac, greata, vedere dublă, palpitaţii şi delir.

În plus, nucsoara poate provoca alergii şi poate declansa o criza de astm bronşic. Dozele mari pot provoca chiar comă şi moarte.

Din aceste motive, nucsoara trebuie administrata în doze mici (nu mai mult de 3 pana la 10 grame).

Nutmeg

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search For other uses, see Nutmeg (disambiguation).

Nutmeg

Myristica fragrans

Scientific classificationKingdom: Plantae(unranked): Angiosperms(unranked): MagnoliidsOrder: MagnolialesFamily: Myristicaceae

Genus: MyristicaGronov.

Species

See text

The nutmeg tree is any of several species of trees in genus Myristica. The most important commercial species is Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree indigenous to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas (or Spice Islands) of Indonesia. The nutmeg tree is important for two spices derived from the fruit: nutmeg and mace.[1]

Nutmeg is the seed of the tree, roughly egg-shaped and about 20 to 30 mm (0.8 to 1.2 in) long and 15 to 18 mm (0.6 to 0.7 in) wide, and weighing between 5 and 10 g (0.2 and 0.4 oz) dried, while mace is the dried "lacy" reddish covering or aril of the seed. The first harvest of nutmeg trees takes place 7–9 years after planting, and the trees reach full production after 20 years. Nutmeg is usually used in powdered form. This is the only tropical fruit that is the source of two different spices. Several other commercial products are also produced from the trees, including essential oils, extracted oleoresins, and nutmeg butter (see below).

The common or fragrant nutmeg, Myristica fragrans, native to the Banda Islands of Indonesia, is also grown in Penang Island in Malaysia and the Caribbean, especially in Grenada. It also grows in Kerala, a state in southern India. Other species of nutmeg include Papuan nutmeg M. argentea from New Guinea, and M. malabarica from India.

Botany and cultivation

Nutmeg is a dioecious plant which is propagated sexually and asexually, the latter being the standard. Sexual propagation by seedling yields 50% male seedlings, which are unproductive. As there is no reliable method of determining plant sex before flowering in the sixth to eighth year, and sexual propagation bears inconsistent yields, grafting is the preferred method of propagation. Epicotyl grafting, approach grafting and patch budding have proved successful, epicotyl grafting being the most widely adopted standard. Air-layering, or marcotting, is an alternative, though not preferred, method, because of its low (35-40%) success rate.

Culinary uses

Nutmeg and mace have similar sensory qualities, with nutmeg having a slightly sweeter and mace a more delicate flavour. Mace is often preferred in light dishes for the bright orange, saffron-like hue it imparts. Nutmeg is used for flavouring many dishes, usually in ground or grated form, and is best grated fresh in a nutmeg grater.

In Penang cuisine, dried, shredded nutmeg rind with sugar coating is used as toppings on the uniquely Penang ais kacang. Nutmeg rind is also blended (creating a fresh, green, tangy taste and white colour juice) or boiled (resulting in a much sweeter and brown juice) to make iced nutmeg juice.

In Indian cuisine, nutmeg is used in many sweet as well as savoury dishes (predominantly in Mughlai cuisine). It is also added in small quantities as a medicine for infants. It may also be used in small quantities in garam masala. Ground nutmeg is also smoked in India.[citation needed]

In Indonesian cuisine, nutmeg is used in various dishes, mainly in many soups, such as soto soup, baso soup or Sup Kambing. It is also made as sweets.

In Middle Eastern cuisine, ground nutmeg is often used as a spice for savoury dishes.

In originally European cuisine, nutmeg and mace are used especially in potato dishes and in processed meat products; they are also used in soups, sauces, and baked goods. In Dutch cuisine, nutmeg is added to vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and string beans. Nutmeg is a traditional ingredient in mulled cider, mulled wine, and eggnog.

Japanese varieties of curry powder include nutmeg as an ingredient.

In the Caribbean, nutmeg is often used in drinks such as the Bushwacker, Painkiller, and Barbados rum punch. Typically, it is just a sprinkle on the top of the drink.

The pericarp (fruit/pod) is used in Grenada and also in Indonesia to make jam, or is finely sliced, cooked with sugar, and crystallised to make a fragrant candy.

In Scotland, mace and nutmeg are usually both essential ingredients in haggis.

Essential oils

The essential oil obtained by steam distillation of ground nutmeg is used widely in the perfumery and pharmaceutical industries. This volatile fraction typically contains 60-80% d-camphene by weight, as well as quantities of d-pinene, limonene, d-borneol, l-terpineol, geraniol, safrol, and myristicin.[5] The oil is colourless or light yellow, and smells and tastes of nutmeg. It contains numerous components of interest to the oleochemical industry, and is used as a natural food flavouring in baked goods, syrups, beverages, and sweets. It

is used to replace ground nutmeg, as it leaves no particles in the food. The essential oil is also used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, for instance, in toothpaste, and as a major ingredient in some cough syrups. In traditional medicine, nutmeg and nutmeg oil were used for disorders related to the nervous and digestive systems.

After extraction of the essential oil, the remaining seed, containing much less flavour, is called "spent". Spent is often mixed in industrial mills with pure nutmeg to facilitate the milling process, as nutmeg is not easy to mill due to the high percentage of oil in the pure seed. Ground nutmeg with a variable percentage of spent (around 10% w/w) is also less likely to clot. To obtain a better running powder also a small percentage of rice flour can be added.[citation needed]

Nutmeg butter

Nutmeg butter is obtained from the nut by expression. It is semi-solid, reddish brown in colour, and tastes and smells of nutmeg. Approximately 75% (by weight) of nutmeg butter is trimyristin, which can be turned into myristic acid, a 14-carbon fatty acid, which can be used as a replacement for cocoa butter, can be mixed with other fats like cottonseed oil or palm oil, and has applications as an industrial lubricant.

History

It is known to have been a prized costly spice in European medieval cuisine as a flavouring, medicinal, and preservative agent. Saint Theodore the Studite (ca. 758 – ca. 826) allowed his monks to sprinkle nutmeg on their pease pudding when required to eat it. In Elizabethan times, it was believed nutmeg could ward off the plague, so nutmeg became very popular and its price skyrocketed.[6]

The small Banda Islands were, until the mid-19th century, the world's only source of nutmeg and mace. Nutmeg is noted as a very valuable commodity by Muslim sailors from the port of Basra, such as Sinbad the Sailor in the One Thousand and One Nights. Nutmeg was traded by Arabs during the Middle Ages and sold to the Venetians for very high prices, but the traders did not divulge the exact location of their source in the profitable Indian Ocean trade, and no European was able to deduce their location.

In August 1511, Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Malacca, which at the time was the hub of Asian trade, on behalf of the king of Portugal. In November of that year, after having secured Malacca and learning of the Bandas' location, Albuquerque sent an expedition of three ships led by his friend António de Abreu to find them. Malay pilots, either recruited or forcibly conscripted, guided them via Java, the Lesser Sundas and Ambon to Banda, arriving in early 1512.[7] The first Europeans to reach the Bandas, the expedition remained in Banda for about a month, purchasing and filling their ships with Banda's nutmeg and mace, and with cloves in which Banda had a thriving entrepôt trade.[8] The first written accounts of Banda are in Suma Oriental, a book written by the Portuguese apothecary Tomé Pires, based in Malacca from 1512 to 1515. Full control of this trade by the Portuguese was not possible, and they remained participants without a foothold in the islands themselves.

The trade in nutmeg later became dominated by the Dutch in the 17th century. The English and Dutch engaged in prolonged struggles to gain control of Run Island, then the only source of nutmeg. At the end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War, the Dutch gained control of Run, while England controlled New Amsterdam (New York) in North America.

The Dutch waged a bloody war, including the massacre and enslavement of the inhabitants of the island of Banda, just to control nutmeg production in the East Indies in 1621. Thereafter, the Banda Islands were run as a

series of plantation estates, with the Dutch mounting annual expeditions in local war-vessels to extirpate nutmeg trees planted elsewhere.

In 1760, the price of nutmeg in London was 85 to 90 shillings per pound, a price kept artificially high by the Dutch voluntarily burning full warehouses of nutmegs in Amsterdam.

As a result of the Dutch interregnum during the Napoleonic Wars, the British took temporary control of the Banda Islands from the Dutch and transplanted nutmeg trees (complete with soil) to Sri Lanka, to Penang, to Bencoolen and to Singapore.[9] However, there is evidence that the tree existed in Sri Lanka prior to this.[10] Thence they were transplanted to their other colonial holdings elsewhere, notably Zanzibar and Grenada. The national flag of Grenada, adopted in 1974, shows a stylised split-open nutmeg fruit. The Dutch however continued to hold control of the spice islands until World War II

Connecticut gets its nickname ("the Nutmeg State", "Nutmegger") from the legend that some unscrupulous Connecticut traders would whittle "nutmeg" out of wood, creating a "wooden nutmeg" (a term which came to mean any fraud).[11]

Commercial jar of mace

World production

World production of nutmeg is estimated to average between 10,000 and 12,000 tonnes (9,800 and 12,000 long tons; 11,000 and 13,000 short tons) per year, with annual world demand estimated at 9,000 tonnes (8,900 long tons; 9,900 short tons); production of mace is estimated at 1,500 to 2,000 tonnes (1,500 to 2,000 long tons; 1,700 to 2,200 short tons). Indonesia and Grenada dominate production and exports of both products, with world market shares of 75% and 20% respectively. Other producers include India, Malaysia (especially Penang, where the trees grow wild within untamed areas[citation needed]), Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, and Caribbean islands, such as St. Vincent and Grenada, which produces 20% of the world's nutmeg supply. The principal import markets are the European Community, the United States, Japan and India. Singapore and the Netherlands are major re-exporters.

Medical research

Nutmeg has been used in medicine since at least the seventh century. In the 19th century it was used as an abortifacient, which led to numerous recorded cases of nutmeg poisoning. Although used as a folk treatment for other ailments, unprocessed nutmeg has no proven medicinal value today.[12]

One study has shown that the compound macelignan isolated from Myristica fragrans (Myristicaceae) may exert antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans,[13] and another that a methanolic extract from the same plant inhibited Jurkat cell activity in human leukemia,[14] but these are not currently used treatments.

Psychoactivity and toxicity

Effects

In low doses, nutmeg produces no noticeable physiological or neurological response, but in large doses, raw nutmeg has psychoactive effects. In its freshly ground (from whole nutmegs) form, nutmeg contains myristicin, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor and psychoactive substance. Myristicin poisoning can induce convulsions,

palpitations, nausea, eventual dehydration, and generalized body pain.[15] It is also reputed to be a strong deliriant.[16]

Fatal myristicin poisonings in humans are very rare, but two have been reported: one in an 8-year-old child[17] and another in a 55-year-old adult, the latter case attributed to a combination with flunitrazepam.[18]

In case reports raw nutmeg produced anticholinergic-like symptoms, attributed to myristicin and elemicin.[17][19]

[20]

In case reports intoxications with nutmeg had effects that varied from person to person, but were often reported to be an excited and confused state with headaches, nausea and dizziness, dry mouth, bloodshot eyes and memory disturbances. Nutmeg was also reported to induce hallucinogenic effects, such as visual distortions and paranoid ideation. In the reports nutmeg intoxication took several hours before maximum effect was reached. Effects and after-effects lasted up to several days.[15][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]

Myristicin poisoning is potentially deadly to some pets and livestock, and may be caused by culinary quantities of nutmeg harmless to humans. For this reason, it is recommended not to feed eggnog to dogs.[30]

History of use

Peter Stafford's Psychedelics Encyclopedia quotes an 1883 report from Mumbai noting that "the Hindus of West India take nutmeg as an intoxicant", and records that the spice has been used for centuries as a form of snuff in rural eastern Indonesia and India, latter seeing the ground seed mixed with betel and other kinds of snuff. In 1829, the Czech physiologist Jan Evangelista Purkinje ingested three ground nutmegs with a glass of wine and recorded headaches, nausea, hallucinations and a sense of euphoria that lasted for several days.[12]

Harvard ethnobotanist Richard Evans Schultes and chemist Albert Hofmann, who discovered LSD, documented reports of nutmeg's use as an intoxicant by students, prisoners, sailors, alcoholics and marijuana smokers. In his autobiography, Malcolm X writes about taking nutmeg and other "semi-drugs" while serving time in prison.[12]

The Angewandte Chemie International Edition records the use of nutmeg as an intoxicant in the United States in the post-World War II period, notably among young people, bohemians, and prisoners. A 1966 New York Times piece named it along with morning glory seeds, diet aids, cleaning fluids, cough medicine, and other substances as "alternative highs" on college campuses.[12]

Toxicity during pregnancy

Nutmeg was once considered an abortifacient, but may be safe for culinary use during pregnancy. However, it inhibits prostaglandin production and contains hallucinogens that may affect the fetus if consumed in large quantities.[31]

Herbal remedies using nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)

also known as jatiphalaThe use of herbal remedies, including the herb nutmeg (jatiphala), classified as Myristica fragrans, are popular as an alternative to standard Western allopathic medicine for a variety of problems, including acting as an aphrodisiac, clearing up skin problems as well as relieving muscle spasm.

on this page Nutmeg is used for Which part of nutmeg is used Making nutmeg herbal tea

Warnings

Myristica fragrans is an effective remedy for various ailments, and this natural holistic approach to health is becoming more and more popular, but should NOT replace conventional medicine or prescription drugs.

Myristica fragrans

Nutmeg is also known as Myristica fragrans, and has certain therapeutic properties and the reported benefits of using it internally, in the form of a herbal tea (infusion) are listed below.

Nutmeg must be used in moderation, as excessive use can have a toxic effect on the body.

Nutmeg is used for the following

Myristica fragrans benefits:

aphrodisiac skin problems reducing heartburn rheumatism muscle spasm increasing appetite relieving diarrhea in Ayurvedic medicine for premature ejaculation and incontinence PS : use in moderation - it is very potent and large amounts can be toxic

Which part to use for nutmeg herbal tea

The seeds are used - but great must be taken not to use excessively as it can cause headaches and can lead to delirium. The grated seed can be steeped in water - but be careful - it is really a very potent ingredient.

Do not use in pregnancy.

Making nutmeg herbal tea

The standard way to make an infusion, unless otherwise specified, is to pour a cup of boiling water over the material to be infused, let it stand for 5 minutes, strain it, and drink it.

Fresh plant materialo When the recipe refers to fresh plant material to be used, a 1/4 cup fresh material is used,

following the method above. Dried material

o When the recipe refers to using dried material, use 2 teaspoons of material when making it. Bark or seeds

o Should the recipe call for bark or seeds to be used, use 2 teaspoons of seeds or 1 tablespoon of bark.

Sweetening your infusiono You could sweeten your health drink with honey, should you so require, and a dash of fresh

lemon juice may also enhance the taste.

General warning when using herbal infusions Only use the herbal material if you are 100% sure that it really the herb in question. If you are ill or have any health concerns, consult your health practitioner. Do not continuously drink the same infusion. At maximum use for 10 days and then skip 5 days. Only have one cup of herbal infusion per day, except during acute periods - such as when you have a

cold or flu, you can then have it three times a day, but for a maximum of 4 days. When you use herbal remedies, be aware that they can be extremely powerful, and should you have any

side effects when taking these infusions, immediately stop using the herb and consult your health practitioner right away.

Myristica fragrans Houtt Family : Myristicaceae English : Nutmeg, Mace tree Hindi : Jay ka ped, Jayphal Gujarati : Jayphal, Javantri Sanskrit : Jati, Jatiphalan

Part used : Seed

Botanical Description: A moderate sized usually dioecious, aromatic, evergreen tree with greyish black bark having lenticular spots on the outside and red juice on the inner side ; leaves elliptic or oblong-lanceolate ; thin coriaceous shiny above, dull beneath, flowers creamy yellow, fragrant in umbellate, cymes staminal column of male flowers stalked, anthers 10-14, linear, ovary of female flowers sessile, ovoid globose ; fruits yellow, broadly pyriform or globose, pericarp fleshy, splitting into two halves at maturity, seeds oblong, obtuse, testa shiny, aril yellowish red, irregularly lobed, extending to the apex of the seed. Mace is the arrilus of the seed in fragrans. Fruiting and flowering from December to May.

It is cultivated in the hotter parts of India.

Ayurvedic Properties and Uses:

Rasa : Katu, Tikta Guna : Laghu, Tiksna Virya : Usna Vipaka : Katu Karma : Dipana, Grahi, Vrsya, Mukhakledanasaka, Mukhadaurgandhyanasaka, Kaphavatapana

Modern Pharmacological Action: The aqueous & alcoholic extract of Myristica fragrans (Nutmeg) has beneficial anthelmintic effect

Nutmeg

Nutmeg, famed for its aroma, is a nut kernel that is used as a spice as well as for its therapeutic properties the world over. According to ancient records, the tree used to flourish in India as well, but now it is a very rare species in the country. The oil extracted from the kernel is used in the preparation of perfumes, hair oil, lotions, and in medicine as an anti-spasmodic carminative.

Quick Facts about Nutmeg or Myristica fragrans:Nomenclature

Common name: Jaiphal Sanskrit name: Jatisasyya, Jatiphala English name: Nutmeg Scientific name: Myristica fragrans

Bio-energetics

Rasa: Katu, Tikta Guna: Laghu, Tiksna Virya: Usna Vipaka: Katu Karma: Dipana, Grahi, Vrsya, Mukhakledanasaka, Mukhadaurgandhyanasaka, Kaphavataghana

HabitatThe Nutmeg tree usually reaches heights 9 to 20 meters or more. It grows in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and West Indies. The dried kernel of the seeds of the nutmeg tree fruits, is powdered or grated and used as a spice, since it has a strong, pleasant aroma. The taste of the kernel is bitter.

Chemical constituentsNutmeg contains starch, protein, an oleanolic acid called Glycoside, sclareol, catechins, proanthocyanidins and diarylpropanoids (dimeric phenylpropanoids) like macelignan, meso-dihydroguaiaretic acid and otobaphenol.

Health benefits

Nutmeg Oil is used in perfumes, ointments and hair lotions. It is effective as an antispasmodic carminative and has been found through research to prevent and cure the following health disorders:

Digestive disorders: About 5 to 15 grams of powdered nutmeg mixed in apple juice or banana is usually taken to help diarrhea triggered by indigestion. The same quantity taken with a tablespoon of fresh amla juice 3 times a day proves beneficial for hiccups, indigestion and morning sickness.

Insomnia: When mixed with fresh amla juice, powdered Nutmeg is great for depression, irritability and insomnia. Nutmeg paste is mixed with honey and fed to infants when they cry at night, inducing sleep.

Dehydration: Dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea, predominantly in Cholera can be treated with an infusion made from half a nutmeg in half liter of water served with tender coconut water in 15-gram doses.

Skin disorders: Skin diseases like ringworm and eczema can be cured by rubbing a stone slab on the skin with nutmeg paste and one’s own early-morning saliva (before cleansing the mouth) once a day.

Oral diseases, Cancer: Nutmeg fights against cancer-causing bacteria such as streptococcus mutans and other bacteria that are usually found in the mouth and cause dental caries as well as other such oral diseases.

Memory loss: Nutmeg extracts, when given to mice, enhanced their learning and memory retention capabilities

Rheumatism: An external application of grated nutmeg fried in gingelly oil (til oil) is very useful in the treatment of rheumatism, neuralgia and sciatia.

Impotency: Nutmeg acts as an excellent stimulant and improves sexual performance when taken regularly.

Dangers

This spice should be taken in very small doses since it excites the motor cortex of the brain, which could amount to epileptic convulsions. Even a teaspoon of the spice could cause lesions on the liver, hallucinations, burning in the stomach, nausea, restlessness, vomiting, and giddiness.

Resources

1. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Of India, Part- 1, Volume- 1, Government Of India, Ministry Of Health And Family Welfare Department Of Ayush. pp 68 – 70.

2. H.K. Bakru, (Bakhru, H. K. (2012). HERBS THAT Heal: Natural remedies for Good Health. (25 ed., pp. 130-132). New Delhi: Orient Paperbacks (A Division of Vision Books Pvt. Ltd.).

3. J.Y. Chung, J.H. Choo, M.H. Lee, J.K. Hwang, Anticariogenic activity of macelignan isolated from Myristicafragrans (nutmeg) against Streptococcus mutans, Phytomedicine, Volume 13, Issue 4, 13 March 2006, Pages 261–266

4. Milind Parle, Dinesh Dhingra, and S.K. Kulkarni, Improvement of Mouse Memory by Myristica fragrans Seeds, Journal of Medicinal Food, June 2004, 7(2): 157-161. doi:10.1089/1096620041224193.

5. srilankanspices.com

Nutmegs (Myristicae Semina, Myristicae, Nux Moschata)Source, Etc

The nutmeg tree, Myristica fragrans, Van Houtte (N.O. Myristicaceoe), is indigenous to the Molucca Islands and a few neighbouring islands, as well as north-western New Guinea, but has been introduced into Penang, Sumatra, Malacca, Java, the West Indies, and Ceylon, nutmegs and mace being exported from the Malay Archipelago, the Straits Settlements, the West Indies, and Ceylon.

The use of the spice was introduced into Europe probably during the twelfth century. The Banda Islands, where they were produced, were discovered about 1506, and passed into the possession of the Portuguese, and finally of the Dutch, who, in this case as in that of cloves and cinnamon, made every endeavour to restrict the

cultivation of the trees to the islands of Banda and Amboyna, and thus create a profitable monopoly. The nutmeg trees of adjacent islands were destroyed, and the nutmegs themselves soaked in a mixture of slaked lime and water to render them, it was said, incapable of germination, a precaution that was quite unnecessary, as the vitality of the seed is destroyed by the simple process of drying. For some time these efforts were successful, and the nutmeg trade remained in the hands of the Dutch; but eventually the trees were successfully introduced into Malacca, Ceylon, and Jamaica.

The fruit is a fleshy drupe resembling a small peach in size and shape. As it ripens the fleshy pericarp splits longitudinally and discloses a crimson, lobed arillus surrounding a brown seed (fig. 97). The fruits are collected, the pericarps removed, and the crimson arillus (mace) stripped off in a single piece (double blade) or in two halves (single blade), flattened, and dried, during which the crimson colour changes to a reddish yellow.

The seeds are then carefully dried, usually over a charcoal fire, a process that requires several weeks. When quite dry the kernel rattles in the thin, brittle, brown shell. The latter is broken and the kernel removed. They are frequently dusted over with slaked lime, or washed in milk of lime and dried, before they are exported; this protects them from the attacks of insects, to which they are otherwise very liable. Very probably the original ' liming ' of nutmegs was intended to protect them from insects and not to destroy the vitality of the seeds, as has been often assumed (Tschirch, 1898). They are usually imported in cases which, on arrival in this country, are opened and the contents bulked. The nutmegs are then thrown on to a coarse iron riddle, the broken and otherwise damaged picked out and the sound ones sorted according to their size which is indicated by the number (65, 80, 110, etc.) required to make up a pound weight. Some of these are sold without further treatment, but many are limed (or re-limed), limed nutmegs being preferred in Holland and in the United States. The damaged nutmegs are sold for the production of the volatile and expressed oil.

Fig. 97. - Nutmeg. A, fruiting branch of Myristica fragrans, showing fruit dehiscing. B, stamens of staminate flower; magnified. C, pistillate flower cut longitudinally; p, perianth; g, ovary; magnified. D, Nutmeg surrounded by the arillus (mace). E, the same cut longitudinally, showing the embryo, e. (Luerssen).

Description

Nutmegs are broadly ovoid in shape and about 2.5 cm. in length; they are usually of a greyish brown colour and marked with shallow reticulate furrows. The hilum lies in a little circular depression surrounded by a raised ring, and from it the raphe can usually be traced in a furrow extending to the chalaza at the apex. When examined with a powerful lens the surface is seen to be very finely pitted and marked with minute reddish points and larger dark reddish brown lines and irregularly elongated spots. The section exhibits dark, reddish brown, wavy lines alternating with pale brownish or greyish interspaces. The greater portion of the nutmeg consists of the ruminated albumen, the ruminations being produced by the infolding of part of the perisperm and

deposition in its cells of dark colouring matter. These infoldings occur near the fibro-vascular bundles, and produce the depressed lines on the surface of the nutmeg corresponding to the branching bundles.

The cut surface easily yields oil when indented with the nail. The odour is strong and aromatic, the taste aromatic and bitterish.

Constituents

The chief constituents of nutmegs are volatile oil (8 to 15 per cent.) and solid fat (about 40 per cent.); they contain in addition as reserve material amylodextrin, a substance intermediate between starch and dextrin.

The volatile oil (sp. gr. 0.870 to 0.925; O.R.+ 13° to + 30°) consists chiefly of terpenes together with myristicin which possesses an intense odour of mace and passes over in the last portions of the distillate.

Expressed oil of nutmeg is a yellowish, very aromatic solid, melting at 25° to 43°, obtained from imperfect or broken nutmegs by hot pressure; it contains about 12 per cent, of the volatile oil together with the glycerides of myristic, palmitic, and oleic acids.

Amylodextrin occurs in granules of irregular shape which are coloured reddish brown by iodine (distinction from starch); it can be obtained in a crystalline form, and appears to be an intermediate product between starch and maltose (or dextrose).

Myristicin, C11H1203, is crystalline and toxic; it is more easily absorbed in the presence of the other constituents of nutmegs and is less toxic to lower animals than to human beings.

Varieties

Penang nutmegs are broadly ovoid and very aromatic. Singapore nutmegs are more deeply and minutely wrinkled and frequently show marks of scorching.

West Indian nutmegs are somewhat elongated and frequently have dark marks on them.

All the above varieties may, however, be of small size, shrivelled, or otherwise defective.

Substitutes

Of the other species of Myristica yielding seeds resembling nutmegs, only one, viz. M. argentea, Warburg, the Macassar or Papua nutmeg, yields an aromatic seed (wild, Papua, Macassar or long nutmeg; exported from New Guinea); this is long, narrower and less aromatic than the official, and has a uniform, brown, scurfy surface and a distinctly acrid taste.

Bombay nutmegs (M. malabarica, Lamarck) are also long and narrow, but are destitute of aroma.

Factitious nutmegs, made from exhausted or damaged nutmegs mixed with mineral matter (clay) and pressed into moulds, have several times been detected; they yield from 11 to 18 per cent, of ash, whereas genuine nutmegs do not afford over 4 per cent.; they also yield less volatile oil (1.76 per cent.), and the section is not regularly reticulated.

Uses

Nutmegs have stimulant and carminative properties; in large doses they are toxic, producing convulsions, an action due to the myristicin contained in them. The expressed and volatile oils have been used externally in chronic rheumatism.

Read more: http://chestofbooks.com/health/materia-medica-drugs/Textbook-Materia-Medica/Nutmegs-Myristicae-Semina-Myristicae-Nux-Moschata.html#.UV191FIbPlo#ixzz2PV5l46wt