Abstract
Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) essential oil has antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. We have recently demonstrated that hydrodistillation of nutmeg essential oil by applying magnesium aluminometasilicate as an excipient significantly increases both the content and amount of bioactive substances in the oil and hydrolats. In this study, we aimed to compare the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activity of hydrolats and essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation in the presence and absence of magnesium aluminometasilicate as an excipient. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method revealed that magnesium aluminometasilicate did not significantly improved antioxidant activity of both essential oil and hydrolat. Antibacterial efficiency was evaluated by monitoring growth of 15 bacterial strains treated by a range of dilutions of the essential oil and the hydrolats. Essential oil with an excipient completely inhibited the growth of E. faecalis, S. mutans (referent), and P. multocida, whereas the pure oil was only efficient against the latter strain. Finally, the anti-inflammatory properties of the substances were assessed in a fibroblast cell culture treated with viral dsRNR mimetic Poly I:C. The essential oil with an excipient protected cells against Poly I:C-induced necrosis more efficiently compared to pure essential oil. Also, both the oil and the hydrolats with aluminometasilicate were more efficient in preventing IL-6 release in the presence of Poly I:C. Our results show that the use of magnesium aluminometasilicate as an excipient might change and in some cases improve the biological activities of nutmeg essential oil and hydrolats.
Highlights
Since ancient times, Myristica fragrans seeds have been used as a food spice, flavoring agent, a natural remedy for headaches and fever [1]
We examined the anti-inflammatory efficiency of nutmeg essential oil preparations in a virus mimetic polycytidylic acid (Poly I):C mediated inflammation
Nutmeg essential oil hydrolat prepared without excipient has a higher antioxidant activity compared to that with magnesium aluminometasilicate as an excipient
Summary
Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) seeds have been used as a food spice, flavoring agent, a natural remedy for headaches and fever [1]. Nutmeg seeds have essential and fatty oils, resins, wax, and other components [2]. The concentration of essential oil in nutmeg seeds is about 5–15% [4], and its major components are terpene hydrocarbons (sabinene, pinene, camphene, p-cymene, phellandrene, terpinene, limonene, and myrcene altogether make up 60% to 80% of the oil), oxygenated terpenes (linalool, geraniol, and terpineol, which make up approximately 5% to 15%) and aromatic ethers The toxicity of nutmeg seeds at high doses has been reported, mainly due to myristicin oil and elemicin, causing tachycardia, nausea, vomiting, agitation, and hallucinations. These effects are related to the abuse of the spice and are not observed at usual low concentrations [9]. Ethanol and acetone extracts of nutmeg crust have strong antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria
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