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[Display omitted] For centuries, plant seed extracts have been widely used and valued for their benefits. They have been used in food, perfumes, aromatherapy, and traditional medicine. These natural products are renowned for their therapeutic properties and are commonly used in medicinal treatments. Their significant pharmacological profiles provide an excellent hallmark for the prevention or treatment of various diseases. In this study, we comprehensively evaluated the biological and pharmacological properties of nutmeg seeds and explored their efficacy in treating various illnesses. Published articles in databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, Elsevier, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Wiley, were analyzed using keywords related to nutmeg seed. The searched keywords were chemical compounds, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antidiabetic, anticancer properties, and their protective mechanisms in cardiovascular and Alzheimer's diseases. Nutmeg seeds have been reported to have potent antimicrobial properties against a wide range of various bacteria and fungi, thus showing potential for combating microbial infections and promoting overall health. Furthermore, nutmeg extract effectively reduces oxidative stress and inflammation by improving the body's natural antioxidant defense mechanism. Nutmeg affected lipid peroxidation, reduced lipid oxidation, reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and increased phospholipid and cholesterol excretion. In addition, nutmeg extract improves the modulation of cardiac metabolism, accelerates cardiac conductivity and ventricular contractility, and prevents cell apoptosis. This study elucidated the psychotropic, narcotic, antidepressant, and anxiogenic effects of nutmeg seeds and their potential as a pharmaceutical medicine. Notably, despite its sedative and toxic properties, nutmeg ingestion alone did not cause death or life-threatening effects within the dosage range of 20–80 g powder. However, chemical analysis of nutmeg extracts identified over 50 compounds, including flavonoids, alkaloids, and polyphenolic compounds, which exhibit antioxidant properties and can be used as phytomedicines. Moreover, the exceptional pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of nutmeg have been found different for different administration routes, yet, more clinical trials are still needed. Understanding the chemical composition and pharmacological properties of nutmeg holds promise for novel drug discovery and therapeutic advancements. Nutmeg seed offers therapeutic and novel drug prospects that can revolutionize medicine. By delving into their pharmacological properties, we can uncover the vast potential possibilities of this natural wonder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutmeg, mace (the membrane of the nutmeg seed), and cloves have long been considered as exotic spices in European cuisine. Nutmeg and mace come from the same tree, Myristica fragrans Houtt. (Myristicaceae), and share a large number of aromatic volatiles. The aroma/flavour of these spices is described as fruity, citrus, floral, herbal, roasted (mace)/green notes (nutmeg), woody, and spicy. Nowadays, nutmeg is found in many popular spice mixes, such as quatre épices, garam masala, pumpkin spice mix, and mixed spice. However, the vast majority of nutmeg (c. 90%) is added directly to processed foods, such as sausages and terrines, where it likely serves an antimicrobial function. At the same time, however, nutmeg also appears to complement milk-, cream-, and egg-based dishes particularly well (as in béchamel sauce). Nutmeg and mace are somewhat unusual amongst spices in being associated with both sweet and savoury dishes and drinks. Although relatively late arrivals to the European table, fashionable Europeans (in the 17th and 18th centuries) would once carry their own personal nutmeg graters around with them to season their food and drink at the table. However, while nutmeg and mace are called for in a large number of the dishes in Robert May's 17th century cookbook, pepper and chilli have nowadays become far more popular (at least by volume sold). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Extracts from Samoan indigenous species Myristica hypargyraea and Myristica inutilis. • Aril extract of M. hypargyraea possessed the highest anti-staphylococcal activity. • Aril extract of M. inutilis showed the highest selective antiproliferative effect. • Malabaricone A, otobain, licarin A, and licarin B identified as the major components. Hexane extracts derived from the arils and seeds of two Samoan indigenous plant species, Myristica hypargyraea A. Gray and Myristica inutilis Rich ex A. Gray, were assessed for their in vitro anti-staphylococcal effect using a broth microdilution assay. Additionally, their cytotoxic activity against human colon cancer and normal intestinal cell lines was determined. In this study, all plant extracts tested showed a certain degree of growth-inhibitory effect against various strains of Staphylococcus aureus with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 8 to 1,024 µg/mL. The aril extract of M. hypargyraea possessed the highest antibacterial activity with MIC value 8 µg/mL against one standard strain and three clinical isolates of S. aureus , the effective concentrations of this extract were found to be safe for the intestinal cells. The aril extract of M. inutilis showed the highest selective antiproliferative effect on intestinal cancer cells with a lower toxicity to normal cell lines. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, malabaricone A, otobain, licarin A, and licarin B were identified as the major components of both the aril and seed extracts of M. hypargyraea and M. inutilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study demonstrates an innovative circular economic process to repurpose agricultural waste, nutmeg fruit rind into an effective adsorbent followed by its value addition/safe disposal, thereby seamlessly aligning with the principles of green chemistry and sustainable waste management. Low-cost bio-sorbents are one of the most promising substances for pollutant removal in water treatment research. Fruit shells and peels are annoying to the environment because they contribute to solid trash after consumption and add to the daunting challenge of municipal solid waste management. This study investigated the potential of nutmeg fruit rind waste, a readily available agricultural byproduct, for the removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) from contaminated streams. The findings highlight the significant removal efficiency of Cr(VI) ions through adsorption onto the nutmeg fruit rind waste, underscoring its potential as an affordable and eco-friendly solution for wastewater treatment. The study showed that pH, adsorbent dosage, adsorbate concentration, contact time, and temperature significantly influence adsorption. The insights into the adsorption mechanism revealed that the electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, ion exchange, and surface complexation primarily contributed to the removal of Cr(VI) ions. The kinetics studies matched well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the sorption fits the Sips isotherm, while thermodynamic studies confirmed the spontaneity and exothermic nature of the process. The quantitative removal of Cr(VI) and other co-existing heavy metals from real textile wastewater samples was demonstrated. Finally, the spent adsorbent was subjected to anaerobic digestion to recover biogas and Cr(VI), which offers a sustainable solution to mitigate the contamination risk associated with discarding the spent adsorbent while contributing to resource recovery. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutmeg is an inexpensive, readily available spice used in a variety of recipes. However, the use of nutmeg powder as a recreational drug for its hallucinogenic effects is resulting in an increase in overdose rates. We encountered a male patient being hospitalized after ingesting 75 g of commercially available nutmeg powder with the intent of committing suicide. There are no available reports documenting the toxic or comatose-fatal blood concentrations or time-course of drug action in cases of nutmeg poisoning. Therefore, to improve patient management, we endeavored to determine the blood serum levels and time-course of the major psychoactive compounds (safrole, myristicin, and elemicin) present in nutmeg. We designed a simple and reliable method using the MonoSpin® extraction kit and gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry to detect the presence of these psychoactive compounds in human serum. The method had detection and quantitation limits of 0.14–0.16 and 0.5 ng/mL (lowest calibration points), respectively. The calibration curves displayed excellent linearity (0.996–0.997) for all three compounds at 0.5–300 ng/mL blood concentrations. The intra- and inter-day precision values for quality assurance were in the ranges of 2.4–11 % and 2.5–11 %, respectively; bias ranged from − 2.6 % to 2.1 %. Blood serum levels of safrole, myristicin, and elemicin were measured at admission (approximately 8 h post-ingestion) and approximately 94 h after a post-admission fluid therapy to evaluate their biological half-lives. We developed this method to obtain information on the psychoactive constituents of nutmeg and, thereby, determine the toxicokinetic parameters of nutmeg in a case of nutmeg poisoning. • Nutmeg, a common spice, is also used as a recreational psychoactive drug. • Our method detects safrole, myristicin, and elemicin from nutmeg in human serum. • The serum is prepared using MonoSpin® C18 FF cartridges and subjected to GC–MS/MS. • We validated the method and applied it in a nutmeg-poisoning case. • We determined the toxicokinetic parameters of nutmeg in a case of nutmeg poisoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutmeg (NM) and citrus peel (CP) extracts are potential sources of phytochemicals high in antioxidant activity. The synergistic effect of the extracts when incorporated as a binary mixture (NM-CP) demonstrated high antioxidant activity, exceeding the expected values indicating possible interactive synergism. This effect prompted us to investigate the potential of NM, CP and NM-CP extracts in imparting oxidative stability to meat balls during frozen storage. NM-CP was evaluated at two concentrations 0.5% (NMCP) and 1.0% (NMCP1). Meat balls with added salt (MS) and control (without any salt and antioxidant) served as control. Binary mixture (NM-CP) at 1% showed a stronger inhibitory effect on lipid oxidation in comparison to the NMCP and individual extracts NM and CP. However, with respect to protein oxidation, both concentrations (NMCP and NMCP1) exhibited higher inhibitory activity than the individual counterparts. Color, flavor and sensory scores further confirmed the efficacy of NM-CP in extending the storage life of frozen meat. Synergistic effect of binary extract NMCP in retarding lipid and protein oxidation in meat balls could be of practical value for meat processors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myristica fragrans mace, an economically important traded spice is being adulterated with mace of M. malabarica , a closely related species. Identification of the genuine mace from its adulterant is difficult owing to the loss of diagnostic morphological characters on drying and storage. Four DNA barcoding loci viz., rbcL, matK, psbA-trnH and Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) are compared to analyse Myristica malabarica adulteration in traded Myristica fragrans mace samples. The potential of psbA-trnH as the best barcode over other loci in authentication of M. fragrans mace was established by its amplification and sequencing success, high interspecific variation and presence of polymorphic sites. Sixty polymorphic sites and 9 indel regions in psbA-trnH locus specific to M. malabarica are found in three out of the five market samples studied, thereby confirming the adulteration of traded M. fragrans mace with M. malabarica . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nutmeg is a spice common to many kitchens around the world and is being used for many other reasons, such as an aphrodisiac, antimicrobial, antioxidant and analgesic, yet little is known about the toxic effects of nutmeg.Case Report: A case is presented of a young male who took an overdose of nutmeg and presented via ambulance to the Emergency Department with multiple psychiatric and neurological symptoms. The case is described in detail, especially in regard to the prehospital and Emergency Department presentation. Emergency personnel should be aware of nutmeg toxicity due to its ability to mimic many other neurological, cardiac and psychiatric conditions. Therefore, increased awareness of this issue can help minimize the risk of misdiagnosis. The importance of communication between the Emergency personnel and the pre-hospital team is stressed. A discussion is included concerning the pathophysiology of nutmeg toxicity, its history, symptomatology, differential diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irradiation of food products and ingredients must be indicated by proper labeling. This study evaluated the appropriateness of the European Standard EN 1785:2003 for the detection of 2-alkylcyclobutanones, which are radiolysis products of fatty acids, in cashew nuts and nutmeg and confirmed its suitability to detect irradiation of cashew nut samples at average absorbed doses of 1 kGy and above. An alternative method was developed, which is based on matrix solid phase dispersion and subsequent separation and detection of oxime derivatives of 2-alkylcyclobutanones by high performance–high resolution mass spectrometry. It is more rapid, less resource consuming, and more sensitive than EN 1785:2003. This method allowed detection of 2-alkylcyclobutanones in cashew nuts irradiated at 100 Gray and in nutmeg irradiated at 400 Gray. None of the 26 cashew nut and 14 nutmeg samples purchased in different EU Member States contained traces of 2-alkylcyclobutanones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anisakis simplex is a foodborne pathogen that can produce human infections and allergic reactions due to the high consumption of raw fish. The seeds of Myristica fragans (Myristicaceae), popularly known as nutmeg, are worldwide used as a culinary spice due to its flavour and properties in food preservation. A nutmeg extract was prepared, analyzed, screened for cytotoxicity and tested against Anisakis simplex L3 larvae. In order to detect the biologically active constituents of the extract, myristicin was tested on the larvae. An acetylcholinesterase inhibition bioassay was also carried out to investigate the antihelmintic mechanism of action. Our results demonstrate that nutmeg exerts antihelmintic effects on Anisakis simplex, being myristicin one of the active compounds. The extract induced a high rate of dead anisakis at concentrations between 0.5 and 0.7 mg/ml without being considered cytotoxic; however, an inhibition of acetylcholinesterase was discarded as the molecular mechanism involved in the activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antifungal activity of twenty-two common spices was evaluated against plant pathogens using direct-bioautography coupled Colletotrichum bioassays. Turmeric, nutmeg, ginger, clove, oregano, cinnamon, anise, fennel, basil, black cumin, and black pepper showed antifungal activity against the plant pathogens Colletotrichum acutatum , Colletotrichum fragariae , and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides . Among the active extracts, turmeric and nutmeg were the most active and were chosen for further investigation. The bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of three compounds from turmeric ( 1 – 3 ) and three compounds from nutmeg ( 4 – 6 ). Their chemical structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis including HR-MS, 1D, and 2D NMR as curcumin ( 1 ), demethoxycurcumin ( 2 ) and bisdemethoxy-curcumin ( 3 ), erythro -(7R,8R)-Δ 8′ -4,7-dihydroxy-3,3′,5′-trimethoxy-8- O -4′-neolignan ( 4 ), erythro -(7R,8R)-Δ8′-7-acetoxy-3,4,3′,5′-tetra-methoxy-8- O -4′-neolignan ( 5 ), and 5-hydroxy-eugenol ( 6 ). The isolated compounds were subsequently evaluated using a 96-well microbioassay against plant pathogens. At 30 μM, compounds 2 and 3 possessed the most antifungal activity against Phomopsis obscurans and Phomopsis viticola , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Supercritical carbon dioxide used to extract the oil from the nutmeg seed. [•] Particle size reduction, pressure and temperature increment increased the oil yield. [•] The highest removal of oil from nutmeg seed was 38.8g oil/100g. [•] The oil was obtained at pressure 41.4MPa, temperature 60°C and 0.5mm particle size. [•] Supercritical extract of nutmeg seed was better than soxhlet extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A sensitive RP-HPLC–DAD method was established to quantify dehydrodiisoeugenol (DDIE) in rat cerebral nuclei. The assay procedure involved one-step extraction of DDIE and daidzein, as an internal standard, from rat plasma and various cerebral nuclei with ethyl acetate. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Diamonsil™ ODS C18 column with methanol–water (81:19, v/v) as a mobile phase. The UV absorbance of the samples was measured at the wavelength of 270nm. The analysis method was proved to be precise and accurate at linearity ranges in plasma and each cerebral nucleus with correlation coefficients of ≥0.9971. The results indicated that the method established was successfully applied to cerebral nuclei distribution study of DDIE after intravenous administration at a single dose of 40mg/kg to rat. DDIE showed high concentration in all of cerebral nuclei at 8min, which indicated that DDIE could cross the blood–brain barrier rapidly and might be one of the main bioactive substances of nutmeg. The results provide fundamental data for evaluating the effects of DDIE on the central nervous system and to be developed into an effective anxiogenic agent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The natural existence of the irradiation markers, namely, 2-decylcyclobutanone (2-DCB) and 2-dodecylcyclobutanone (2-dDCB), in nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) has recently been reported. In this study, 2-DCB and 2-dDCB were extracted from nutmeg of five different origins using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). A 50-kGy irradiated sample was used to optimise the parameters of SFE and solid-phase extraction. The irradiated samples were analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, whereas the non-irradiated samples were analysed with high-resolution gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Both 2-DCB and 2-dDCB were detected and identified in the irradiated samples at 5kGy or greater. However, neither was present in the non-irradiated samples. Moreover, although the concentrations of 2-DCB and 2-dDCB were significantly reduced, a positive identification was obtained in irradiated nutmeg even after 30weeks of storage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, the influence of supercritical extraction parameter on the oil extraction of Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) was investigated, and then the extracted oil was tested for its cytotoxic and anti-angiogenic activity. Supercritical extraction was carried out using the operation pressures 20.7, 27.6, 34.5 and 41.4MPa, and temperature was varied between 40 and 50°C. The CO2 flow rate was between 1-3ml/min using matrix particle size ≤ 1mm and during extraction time of 90min. The extracted oils were tested for anti-angiogenic activity using a 3 dimensional ex-vivo isolated rat aorta tissue. MTT assay was used as in vitro study to investigate the cytotoxic properties of the extracted oil samples on two types of human tumour cell lines, colon cancer cell HCT-116 and breast cancer cell MCF7. The study reveal that the extraction yield depends on pressure and temperature, and there is a significant difference between temperatures 50°C and 40°C at different pressure, whereby increasing pressure leads to increase extraction yields significantly. However, varying the flow rate has no effect on the extraction yield. The anti-angiogenic inhibitions were significant at concentration of 200μg /ml nutmeg oil. MTT assay results indicate that all the extracts under different extraction parameters are noncytotoxic. These results confirmed that supercritical extraction could be a promising technique to produce high quality of botanicals extracts, free of solvent, noncytotoxic with significant cost savings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nutmeg is commonly used as a spice in various dishes; it is a component of teas and soft drinks, and can also be mixed in milk and alcohol. In this study, we investigated the effect of chronic consumption of nutmeg on the stomach of adult Wistar rats. Rats of both sexes (n = 24), with an average weight of 200 g, were randomly assigned into two treatment groups (A and B, n = 8 for each group) and one control group (C, n = 8). The rats in the treatment groups received 1 g of nutmeg in group A and 2 g of nutmeg in group B. The nutmeg was thoroughly mixed with feed and given daily for 32 days. Group C received an equal amount of feed daily without nutmeg for 32 days. The rats had free access to water. On day 33 of the experiment, the rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The stomachs were carefully dissected out and immediately fixed in 10% formal saline for histological study. Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that rats in groups A and B showed varying degrees of distortion in the epithelial cells of the stomach. Obvious signs of proliferation, hyperplasia, and atrophic changes in the treated stomach sections were more marked in group B than in the other groups. These findings indicate that nutmeg may have some deleterious effects on the microanatomy of the stomach of adult Wistar rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Nutmeg, the seeds of Myritica fragrans (family Myristicaceae), is a well known kitchen spice with a long-standing reputation as a psychoactive herb. Nutmeg at high doses is considered a cheap substitute to several drugs of abuse. Earlier reports have attributed amphetamine-like activities to nutmeg. Aim of the study: To characterize the neuropharmacological effects of different nutmeg extracts, administered orally and intraperitoneally, in comparison to Δ9-terahydrocannabinol, amphetamine, and morphine. Materials and methods: Methanolic (ME), dichloromethane (DE), and hexane (HE) extracts were obtained from a chromatographically fingerprinted batch of nutmeg. Biological evaluation was conducted in sets of 6–8 mice in the tetrad assay at doses ranging from 100 to 500 and 500 to 1000mg/kg for i.p. and oral administration, respectively. Results: While oral administration of all the nutmeg extracts at 500mg/kg caused a significant increase in locomotor activity, the i.p. administration of DE showed significant reduction in rectal temperature along with a significant increase in tail flick latency at 300mg/kg. A significant decrease in core body temperature was observed with HE at 100mg/kg, while higher doses caused significant increases in hot plate latency. Conclusion: Different behavioral effects were observed that varied by the type of extract as well as by the route of administration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Traditional Iranian barbecued chicken (TIBC) consists of cubed chicken breast, lemon juice, onion, saffron, salt, red pepper, vegetable oil and various spices such as oregano and nutmeg with pH value about 5.5. As this product is sometimes consumed under-cooked, there is growing concern that it may pose health hazards to consumers related to pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7. We studied the influence of storage temperature and essential oils (EOs) of oregano and nutmeg on the growth and survival of E. coli O157:H7 in ready-to-cook TIBC. Ready-to-cook TIBC was prepared according to the traditional practice using different concentrations of oregano and nutmeg EOs. The TIBC and control samples (TIBC without the EOs) were spiked with E. coli O157:H7 to a final concentration of 6–7log10 CFUg−1 and stored at 3, 8 and 20°C. E. coli O157:H7 was counted after 0, 24, 48 and 72h storage using MacConkey sorbitol agar supplemented with cefixime and tellurite. The EOs of oregano and nutmeg had a bactericidal effect on E. coli O157:H7 in broth culture with 0.6 and 10μlml−1 concentration, respectively. The log10 CFUg−1 of E. coli O157:H7 count in the spiked samples, containing 1, 2 and 3μlg−1 of EOs of oregano and nutmeg that were stored at different temperatures for up to 72h relative to the control samples did not change. Increasing the storage temperatures from 3°C to 20°C up to 72h significantly increased the log10 CFUg−1 of E. coli O157:H7 in both experimental and control samples. The results showed that the E. coli O157:H7 had the ability to survive in ready-to-cook TIBC at refrigeration condition (3°C) and multiplied significantly at the higher temperature, e.g. 8°C and the ambient temperature of 20°C. The results from our study showed that contrary to the inhibitory effect of EOs of oregano and nutmeg against E. coli O157:H7 in broth system, they had no any inhibitory effect against E. coli O157:H7 in ready-to-cook TIBC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Black peppercorn, nutmeg, rosehip, cinnamon and oregano leaf were extracted with 50% acetone and 80% methanol, and evaluated for their radical-scavenging activities against cation (ABTS⠐+), DPPH⠐, peroxyl (ORAC) and hydroxyl (HO⠐) radicals. For each extract, total phenolic content (TPC) and chelating activity were also determined. The extracts of all botanical samples showed significant radical-scavenging capacities, TPC and chelating abilities. The 50% acetone extract of cinnamon had the highest ABTS⠐+-scavenging capacity of 1243 μmol TE/g and the greatest ORAC value of 1256 μmol TE/g on a per weight basis. The 50% acetone extracts of black peppercorn and cinnamon showed higher ABTS+-scavenging, ORAC, Fe+2 chelating ability and TPC value, but lower DPPH⠐ value than the corresponding 80% methanol extracts. The 80% methanol extract of nutmeg had greater ABTS+, ORAC and TPC values than the 50% acetone extract. Electronic spin resonance (ESR) measurements demonstrated that cinnamon had the strongest HO⠐-scavenging activities among all the tested botanical materials. These data indicate that black peppercorn, nutmeg, rosehip, cinnamon and oregano leaf may serve as potential dietary sources of natural antioxidants for improving human nutrition and health. The extracting solvent may alter the antioxidant activity measurement for selected botanicals, including spices and herbs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Glycosidically bound volatile compounds of nutmeg were identified as glyco-conjugates of p-cymene-7-ol, eugenol, methoxyeugenol and α-terpineol. Using phenyl-β-glucoside as external standard the contents of these glycosidic precursors were estimated based on the measurement of TLC spot density on a densitometer. p-Cymene-7-ol rutinoside was the major aroma glycoside (3.15mg/100g), followed by glucosides of methoxyeugenol (0.61mg/100g), eugenol (0.50mg/100g) and α-terpineol (0.51mg/100g). A dose-dependent breakdown of these glycosidic precursors was observed during γ-radiation processing. Among the four glycosides, α-terpineol glucoside was the most sensitive to radiation while p-cymene-7-ol rutinoside was the least sensitive. A reduction in the content of total glycosides by almost 50% was noted at a dose of 5kGy. Partitioning of aroma glycoside into n-butanol from aqueous extracts was found to result in rapid isolation of aroma glycosides, avoiding time consuming pre-purification on Amberlite XAD-2 column. A routine method based on extraction into n-butanol and subsequent quantification of post-irradiation changes in aroma glycosides on a TLC plate using a densitometer is proposed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Management of tropical fisheries often fails because of a limited sectoral approach that disregards the livelihoods of small-scale fishermen. Fishermen are viewed as specialists, although many fisheries cannot provide an income that is large and stable enough to allow for such specialisation. The economic outcome of the enterprise is linked to the production patterns of the resource, and the dynamics of the resource affect the livelihood strategies of the people exploiting these resources. The limiting factors for specialisation in four enterprises exploiting natural resources (purse-seine fishery, sago extraction, nutmeg and clove cultivation) were studied in terms of size, patterns and uncertainty in production and income in the coastal community on Ambon and the Lease Islands (Moluccas, Indonesia). This was done for labourers and owners of fishing gear and land. Only owners of purse-seine vessels have sufficient mean income to maintain their families (27.5 rice equivalents per day), although the basic uncertainty in their daily income is extremely high (CV=410%). For owners of the other three enterprises income is not enough to maintain a household, because of the small scale of the production units, being only tens of trees. For labourers, the daily incomes from fishing and sago extraction are too low (mean income=3.2 and 4.1 rice equivalents per day) to maintain their households of six members at the poverty level (0.88 rice equivalents per capita per day), although both activities can be practised almost year round. Moreover, daily income for labourers from the fishery is highly uncertain because of the uncertainty in daily catches (CV=220%), which is not reduced by price compensation. Although the sharing system reduces the basic uncertainty in the daily income of labourers, the resulting income is still highly uncertain, ranging from 0 to 78 rice equivalents per day (CV=170%). Mean daily income from nutmeg and clove picking are several times higher (8.4 and 13.9 rice equivalents per day), but because of the limited temporal availability of these resources (roughly two months per year for both spices), they cannot provide enough income to maintain a household. The low income and high uncertainty for the labourers involved mean that the purse-seine fishery cannot provide a stable basic income: to stabilise it, other sources of income are needed. This has consequences for many characteristics of the fishery, such as the large proportion of part-time fishermen, the allocation of fishing effort and the type of technical innovations implemented in the fishery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We examined the difference between Escherichia coli O157 and non-pathogenic E. coli in their tolerance to spices. Various spices (5 g each) were homogenized at 25°C for 10 min with 5 ml of 70% ethyl alcohol, and the supernatant solutions obtained by centrifugation were used as spice extracts. When the E. coli strains were incubated with each spice extract at concentrations of 0.01% and 0.1%, a noteworthy difference was observed between the O157 and non-pathogenic strains in their tolerance to nutmeg. The populations of the non-pathogenic strains could not be reduced, but those of the O157 strains were remarkably reduced. Antibacterial activity by the nutmeg extract was also found against the enteropathogenic E. coli O111, but not against enterotoxigenic (O6 and O148) and enteroinvasive (O29 and O124) E. coli. When we examined the antibacterial effect of volatile oils in nutmeg on the O157 and non-pathogenic E. coli strains, all O157 strains tested were found to be more sensitive to β-pinene than non-pathogenic E. coli strains. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Nanoemulsions containing essential oil of Myristica fragrans or Lavandula dentata with hydrophilic and lipophilic surfactants were developed through emulsification under high agitation and presenting good physicochemical characteristics. • The developed formulations did not influence the chemical composition of the oils. • Effect of storage conditions (refrigeration temperature, room temperature, and a controlled climatic chamber) were assessed in nanoemulsions for their chemical and physical-chemical properties and suggests that formulations presented intended responses and good stability over storage at room temperature and refrigeration. • Storage of nanoemulsions containing Myristica fragrans essential oils at refrigeration and room temperature for 3 months' and 15 days, respectively, maintained physical-chemical quality and chemicals components compared with free oil. • Significant protection in Lavandula dentata essential oil content was noticed in the oil—nanoemulsion associations only at room temperature. Essential oils are characterized as complex compound mixtures with important pharmacological properties, yet they are sensitive to high temperatures, light, and the presence of oxygen. Nanotechnology is therefore used to improve stability, securing both quality and efficacy. To evaluate the stability of Lavandula dentata Linnaueus and Myristica fragrans Houtt essential oils when associated with nanostructures, nanoemulsions containing 5% essential oil with hydrophilic and lipophilic surfactants were developed through emulsification under high agitation. Fabrication of the formulations did not qualitatively or quantitatively affect the majority of the essential oil compounds being identificates by gasose cromatografy as main constituents (-) - β-pinene (24–31 %), 1-terpinen-4-ol (14–15 %), L- α-pinene (13 %) and sabinene (10–15 %), in M. fragrans ; e 1.8 cineol (50–52 %), fenchone (17−16 %) and camphor (15–13 %) for L. dentata. The systems were characterized in terms of average droplet size, polydispersity index, pH, zeta potential, and each essential oil's chemical composition (upon preparation), and for 90 days under the following storage conditions: refrigeration temperature, room temperature, and a controlled climatic chamber. After preparation: the droplet size of M. fragrans esential oil-loaded nanoemulsion (NE–MO) was 87.06 ɳm, its polydispersity index (PDI) was 0.17, the zeta potential value was -14.8 mV, and the pH was 5.62; L. dentata esential oil–loaded nanoemulsion (NE–LO) droplet size was 64.99 ɳm, its polydispersity index (PDI) was 0.26, zeta potential value was --11.1 mV, and the pH was 4.95. Investigation of these physicochemical response (particle size and polydispersity index) suggests that NE–MO presented intended responses and good stability over 3 months' and 15 days storage at refrigeration and room temperature, respectively; being that the pH of formulation was maintained unaltered in the three conditions. Produced nanoemulsions with essential oil of Lavandula dentata presented physicochemical stables response in period of 3 months' and 7 days torage at refrigeration and room temperature, respectively; but pH value was maintained unaltered only up to 15 days in refrigeration. Chemical analyses proved the greater efficacy of the NE–MO to preserve the majority compound percentages oil (L-α-pinene, (-)-β-pinene, sabinene, α-limonene, γ-terpinene) throughout the study under storage at 4 and 24 °C compared with free oil. The formulation NE–LO enabled good protection only at room temperature for α-pinene, sabinene 1.8-cineole, fenchone and camphor. However, this formulation not presented stables physicochemical characteristics during the study at room temperature. In summary, the nutmeg oil–loaded nanoemulsion was successfully formulated and its protection profile ensured essential oil chemical stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nutmeg exposure may cause dose- and duration-dependent liver damage. • Inflammatory cell infiltration and hepatocyte necrosis were dose- and duration-related. • Elevated serum AST and ALT levels were related to nutmeg dose and exposure duration. • Nutmeg exposure caused differential levels of metabolites related to liver function. Incidences of abuse and poisoning have been reported for nutmeg, a household spice made from grinding the seed of Myristica fragrans , owing to its hallucinogenic properties. However, there have been no reports on nutmeg hepatotoxicity in relation to dose and duration of exposure. To investigate the hepatotoxicity of different nutmeg exposure durations and doses, male mice were administered daily with normal saline, 1.0 g/kg nutmeg, or 4.0 g/kg nutmeg by intragastrical gavage for either 7 or 14 days (for a total of six treatment groups, n = 6). Body weight of each mouse was monitored daily. Histological analysis of liver tissues was performed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining to investigate the morphological changes in hepatocytes. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to investigate liver function. Metabolomics and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed between treatment groups for identifying differential metabolites. Mice in the nutmeg exposure groups exhibited slow growth trends, hepatocyte damage, and significantly elevated serum AST and ALT levels associated with nutmeg dose and exposure duration. Metabolomics and KEGG enrichment pathway analyses also revealed differential levels of some metabolites related to liver function upon nutmeg exposure. Therefore, the present study reasonably speculates that nutmeg exposure may cause liver damage and affect liver function depending on the dose and duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]