Therapeutic, and pharmacological prospects of nutmeg seed: A comprehensive review for novel drug potential insights.

Background and objectives: 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. Method: 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. Results & discussion: 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. Conclusion: 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.

Wound healing effect of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) cream on second-degree burn in animal model.

Second-degree burn, the most common among burn degrees, underscores the importance of timely and proper treatment in influencing prognosis. Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), renowned for its potent antibacterial and antifungal properties, also serves as an effective antiseptic for open wounds. The aim of this study was to identify the phytochemical constituents of nutmeg essential oil and analyze the wound healing effect of nutmeg cream on second-degree burns in an animal model. An experimental study with a completed randomized design was conducted on Rattus norvegicus strain Wistar rats with second-degree burn. This study had four groups and each group consisting of four rats: B (burn-treated base cream), B+N (burn-treated 3% nutmeg cream), B+SSD (burn-treated silver sulfadiazine (BSS)), and B+N+SSD (burn-treated 3% nutmeg cream and SSD in a 1:1 ratio). The phytochemical analysis of nutmeg essential oil was conducted by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The burn diameter and burn wound healing percentage were measured from day 0 to 18. One-way ANOVA followed by post hoc analysis using the least significant difference (LSD) was employed to analysis the effect. The phytochemical analysis of nutmeg essential oil found that myristicin, terpinene-4-ol, terpinene, safrole and terpinolene were the most abundant putative compounds in nutmeg essential oil. On day 0, the average burn wound diameters were 1.4 cm in all groups and increases were observed in all groups on day 3. The wound diameter decreased until day 18 with the smallest burn wound diameter was found in the B+N group (0.86±0.37 cm), followed by B+SSD (0.93±0.29 cm). The B+SSD group exhibited the highest percentage of burn wound healing (56.80±14.05%), which was significantly different from the base cream (p<0.05). The percentage of burn wound healing in rats given 3% nutmeg cream was 41.88±13.81%, suggesting that nutmeg cream could promote burn wound healing in rats induced by second-degree burns.

Quantitative NMR Spectrometry of Phenylpropanoids, including Isoeugenol in Herbs, Spices, and Essential Oils.

Isoeugenol (2-methoxy-4-(1-propenyl)phenol) has been recently classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This study conducted an analysis of isoeugenol in common herbs and spices, including basil, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry. Additionally, over 1300 coffee samples were analysed by 1H-NMR for isoeugenol, but it was not detected in any of the analysed samples. Various essential oils, including nutmeg, basil, clove, sweet flag, and ylang-ylang oils, were examined for isoeugenol content. Out of the twelve nutmeg oils tested, four contained isoeugenol, with concentrations ranging from 3.68 ± 0.09 g/kg to 11.2 ± 0.10 g/kg. However, isoeugenol was not detected in the essential oils of calamus, basil, ylang-ylang, and clove using NMR spectrometry. These findings warrant critical evaluation of the previous literature, given reports of high isoeugenol levels in some of these matrices. A toxicological assessment has determined that there is no risk to human health by exposure to isoeugenol via nutmeg essential oils.

Living donor liver transplantation on pediatric patient with Budd-Chiari syndrome: Case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: The management of Budd-Chiari syndrome is determined on the basis of the severity of the disease. There are no standard guidelines regarding the management of Budd-Chiari syndrome in children, particularly in cases of liver transplantation. Therefore, we present a case of a pediatric patient with Budd-Chiari syndrome treated with liver transplantation. CASE PRESENTATION: A female patient aged 1 year and 8 months presented to the hospital with an enlarged stomach in the last 1.5 months before admission. The patient was moderately ill, malnourished, and jaundiced. Liver biopsy revealed fibrosis in the portal area and confluent necrosis caused by vascular disorders. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a nutmeg liver and ascites due to the stenosis of the inferior vena cava at the level of the liver and the middle and left hepatic veins. The patient underwent living-donor liver transplantation. The occlusion of the proximal right hepatic vein due to the presence of a membrane was identified as the cause of Budd-Chiari syndrome in this case. Postoperatively, the patient's condition was stable and there was no sepsis or any other complications. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Prothrombotic factors are often the underlying cause of more than 80 % of Budd-Chiari syndrome cases. Protein C deficiency is suspected to be a prothrombotic factor that triggers Budd-Chiari syndrome in patients. Liver transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome who were not treated with anticoagulation therapy, angioplasty, and TIPS. CONCLUSION: Living-donor liver transplantation has a good outcome in the management of pediatric patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome.

Anti­adipogenic effect and underlying mechanism of lignan­enriched nutmeg extract on 3T3­L1 preadipocytes.

Nutmeg is the seed derived from Myristica fragrans. Nutmeg seeds contain alkylbenzene derivatives such as myristicin, which are toxic to the human organism, and lignan compounds such as nectandrin B, which possess anti-aging and anti-diabetic properties. However, the anti-adipogenic, prolipolytic and anti-inflammatory effects of lignan-enriched nutmeg extract (LNX) on preadipocytes remain unclear. In the present study, the effects of LNX on lipid accumulation, glycerol release and inflammatory cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in differentiated 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were investigated. Oil red O staining demonstrated that treatment with LNX resulted in a concentration-dependent reduction in lipid accumulation in differentiating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes without affecting cell growth. Mechanistically, LNX treatment at 6 µg/ml led to a reduction in phosphorylation levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), whereas it did not influence the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) and CCAAT enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBP-α) expression levels during 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation. In addition, LNX treatment at 6 µg/ml led to a decrease in fatty acid synthase (FAS) expression levels on day (D) 2, but not D5 and D8, during preadipocyte differentiation. Treatment with LNX at 6 µg/ml did not affect the expression levels of perilipin A during preadipocyte differentiation. In differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, LNX treatment at 6 µg/ml did not stimulate glycerol release and hormone-sensitive lipase phosphorylation, which are known lipolysis hallmarks. Furthermore, LNX treatment at the doses tested had no effect on tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced COX-2 expression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Collectively, these results demonstrated that LNX has an anti-adipogenic effect on differentiating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, which is mediated by the downregulation of STAT3 phosphorylation and FAS expression.

Nutmeg Intoxication: A Case Report.

Nutmeg intoxication is an uncommon precipitant of hyperactive delirium with severe agitation (HDSA) with anticholinergic properties that require a high index of suspicion for diagnosis. We present a case of a young adult who presented to the emergency department (ED) with HDSA. The patient was intubated and transferred to the medical intensive care unit (MICU) due to increasing safety threats unresponsive to multimodal de-escalation. He ultimately self-extubated, reported excessive nutmeg ingestion, and was discharged home after a short period of observation. Improved detection and streamlined management pathways for nutmeg intoxication will minimize unnecessary invasive procedures and costs to the healthcare system.

Nectandrin B significantly increases the lifespan of Drosophila - Nectandrin B for longevity.

Phytochemicals are increasingly recognized in the field of healthy aging as potential therapeutics against various aging-related diseases. Nutmeg, derived from the Myristica fragrans tree, is an example. Nutmeg has been extensively studied and proven to possess antioxidant properties that protect against aging and alleviate serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and liver disease. However, the specific active ingredient in nutmeg responsible for these health benefits has not been identified thus far. In this study, we present evidence that Nectandrin B (NecB), a bioactive lignan compound isolated from nutmeg, significantly extended the lifespan of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster by as much as 42.6% compared to the control group. NecB also improved age-related symptoms including locomotive deterioration, body weight gain, eye degeneration, and neurodegeneration in aging D. melanogaster. This result represents the most substantial improvement in lifespan observed in animal experiments to date, suggesting that NecB may hold promise as a potential therapeutic agent for promoting longevity and addressing age-related degeneration.

[Efficacy of Bright Greenish-Yellow Fluorescence Sorting on Mycotoxin-Contaminated Nutmeg Selection and Characterization of Fungal Flora Related to Mycotoxin Production].

Spices have been known to be highly contaminated commodities with mycotoxins. The Codex Alimentarius reports that nutmeg is particularly contaminated with aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA). To eliminate contaminated commodities, visual sorting and bright greenish-yellow fluorescence (BGYF) sorting are used as low-cost technologies in production engineering. In Indonesia, nutmeg is mainly sorted by visual sorting and classified into three grades according to the Indonesian national standards, with importers further defining their own brand as imported products. In this study, we evaluate the efficacy of BGYF sorting as a further selection method to reduce AFs and OTA using the importer's own brand. Further, the level of these mycotoxins and the relationship between fungal flora and mycotoxin contamination were examined. These results showed that BGYF sorting effectively reduces AFs as well as OTA. In addition, BGYF-positive groups were infected by Aspergillus sections Flavi, Nigri, and Circumdati.

Antimicrobial Wound Dressings based on Bacterial Cellulose and Independently Loaded with Nutmeg and Fir Needle Essential Oils.

The aim of the present study was to obtain antimicrobial dressings from bacterial cellulose loaded with nutmeg and of fir needle essential oils. The attractive properties of BC, such as biocompatibility, good physicochemical and mechanical stability, and high water absorption, led to the choice of this material to be used as a support. Essential oils have been added to provide antimicrobial properties to these dressings. The results confirmed the presence of oils in the structure of the bacterial cellulose membrane and the ability of the materials to inhibit the adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. By performing antibacterial tests on membranes loaded with fir needle essential oil, we demonstrated the ability of these membranes to inhibit bacterial adhesion to the substrate. The samples loaded with nutmeg essential oil exhibited the ability to inhibit the adhesion of bacteria to the surface of the materials, with the 5% sample showing a significant decrease. The binding of essential oils to the membrane was confirmed by thermal analysis and infrared characterization.

Preparation and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Properties and Cytotoxic Potentials of Nutmeg and Tulsi Gel.

AIM: The aim of the study is to prepare the dual gel using nutmeg and Tulsi and then the evaluation of the antimicrobial properties and cytotoxic potential. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Nutmeg Tulsi gel preparation has been done with a mixture of equal amounts of nutmeg and Tulsi powder. To the above-mentioned mixture, 5 mL of the concentrate is added and mixed thoroughly until the gel formation is done. The antimicrobial property is checked in the Porphyromonas gingivalis organism (p>0.05). The cytotoxic potential is checked in the Brine variety of the shrimp. The statistical analysis is done using a Paired t-test. RESULTS: The results stated that the Nutmeg Tulsi gel at a concentration of 100 microgram/mL showed a greater zone of inhibition (4.1±0.09 mm) when compared with doxycycline and has high antimicrobial potential in both Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Conclusion: The antimicrobial property of Nutmeg Tulsi gel has been demonstrated to be effective against P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans. This suggests that it could be used as an affordable and effective "adjunct" alongside standard care for managing periodontal conditions.

Insights into the inhibitory activities of neolignans and diarylnonanoid derivatives from nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) seeds on soluble epoxide hydrolase using in vitro and in silico approaches.

Two new neolignans, myrifralignans F-G (14 and 18), four new diarylnonanoid derivatives, myrifragranones A-D (21-24), and 18 known compounds were isolated and structurally elucidated from nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) seeds. The absolute configurations of these secondary metabolites were determined using the electronic circular dichroism technique. The inhibitory potential of these isolated compounds on soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) was investigated for the first time. Among them, malabaricones B and C (19 and 20) and four new compounds 21-24 displayed inhibitory activities against sEH, with IC50 values ranging from 14.24 to 46.35 µM. Additionally, the binding mechanism, key binding interactions, stability, and dynamic behaviour of the active compounds with the sEH enzyme were analysed using in silico molecular docking and dynamics simulations. Our findings suggest that nutmeg could become a promising natural source for discovering and developing new sEH inhibitors.

Detection of Mildewed Nutmeg Internal Quality during Storage Using an Electronic Nose Combined with Chemical Profile Analysis.

Internal mildewed nutmeg is difficult to perceive without cutting the nutmeg open and examining it carefully, which poses a significant risk to public health. At present, macroscopic identification and chromatographic analysis are applied to determine whether nutmeg is moldy or not. However, the former relies on a human panel, with the disadvantages of subjectivity and empirical dependence, whilst the latter is generally time-consuming and requires organic solvents. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a rapid and feasible approach for evaluating the quality and predicting mildew in nutmeg. In this study, the quality and odor characteristics of five groups of nutmeg samples with different degrees of mildew were analyzed by using the responses of an electronic nose combined with chemical profiling. The main physicochemical indicators, such as the levels of α-pinene, ß-pinene, elemicin, and dehydro-di-isoeugenol, were determined. The results revealed that the contents of α-pinene, ß-pinene, and elemicin changed significantly with the extension of storage time. Through the use of an electronic nose and HS-GC-MS technology to assess the overall odor characteristics of nutmeg samples, it was found that the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as ammonia/organic amines, carbon monoxide, ethanol, and hydrogen sulfide, as well as changes in the terpene and phenylpropene components of the nutmeg itself, may be the material basis for the changes in odor. The accuracy of the qualitative classification model for the degree of mildew in nutmeg was higher than 90% according to the electronic nose data combined with different machine learning algorithms. Quantitative models were established for predicting the contents of the chemical components, and models based on a BP neural network (BPNN), the support vector machine (SVM), and the random forest algorithm (RF) all showed good performance in predicting the concentrations of these chemical components, except for dehydro-di-isoeugenol. The BPNN performed effectively in predicting the storage time of nutmeg on the basis of the E-nose's responses, with an RMSE and R2 of 0.268 and 0.996 for the training set, and 0.317 and 0.993 for the testing set, respectively. The results demonstrated that the responses of the electronic nose (E-nose) had a high correlation with the internal quality of nutmeg. This work proposes a quick and non-destructive evaluation method for the quality of nutmeg, which has high accuracy in discriminating between different degrees of mold in nutmeg and is conducive to early detection and warning of moldy phenomena.

Complete chloroplast genome of two nutmeg species, Myristica argentea Warb. 1891 and Myristica fatua Houtt. 1774 (Myristicaceae).

Myristica argentea Warb. 1891 and M. fatua Houtt. 1774 are two South-East Asian food tree species. They are harvested from the wild or cultivated for local uses as a condiment (nutmeg and mace), medicine, and source of wood. In this study, we reconstructed the complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of these two species from whole genome sequencing data using the Illumina NovaSeq platform. The genome sizes of M. argentea and M. fatua were respectively 155,871 base pairs (bp) and 155,898 bp, including 126 genes and an overall GC content of 39.20% in both species. Our study provides useful resources for future evolutionary research and diversity analysis of Myristica species.

Detection of major psychoactive compounds (safrole, myristicin, and elemicin) of nutmeg in human serum via GC-MS/MS using MonoSpin® extraction: Application in a nutmeg poisoning case.

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.

Corrigendum: Effects of dietary nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) seed meals on growth, non-specific immune indices, antioxidant status, gene expression analysis, and cold stress tolerance in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1038748.].

Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil from the seeds of Myristica fragrans Houtt. (nutmeg oil) for all animal species (FEFANA asbl).

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of an essential oil from the seeds of Myristica fragrans Houtt. (nutmeg oil), when used as a sensory additive in feed and water for drinking for all animal species. The additive contains myristicin (up to 12%), safrole (2.30%), elemicin (0.40%) and methyleugenol (0.33%). For long-living and reproductive animals, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) considered of low concern the use of the additive in complete feed at 0.2 mg/kg for laying hens and rabbits, 0.3 mg/kg for sows and dairy cows, 0.5 mg/kg for sheep/goats, horses and cats, 0.6 mg/kg for dogs and 2.5 mg/kg for ornamental fish. For short-living animals, the Panel had no safety concern when the additive is used at the maximum proposed use level of 10 mg/kg for veal calves, cattle for fattening, sheep/goats, horses for meat production, and salmon and for the other species, at 3.3 mg/kg for turkeys for fattening, 2.8 mg/kg chickens for fattening, 5.0 mg/kg for piglets, 6.0 mg/kg for pigs for fattening and 4.4 mg/kg for rabbits for meat production. These conclusions were extrapolated to other physiologically related species. For any other species, the additive was considered of low concern at 0.2 mg/kg. The use of nutmeg oil in animal feed was expected to be of no concern for consumers and the environment. The additive should be considered as irritant to skin and eyes and as a skin and respiratory sensitiser. Based on the presence of safrole, nutmeg oil is classified as carcinogen (category 1B) and handled accordingly. Since nutmeg oil was recognised to flavour food and its function in feed would be the same, no further demonstration of efficacy was considered necessary.

Preparation and characterization of inclusion complex of Myristica fragrans Houtt. (nutmeg) essential oil with 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin.

Nutmeg essential oil (NEO) is a natural condimentwith versatile biological activities. However, the application of NEO in food has several limitations due to its poor stability and low aqueous solubility. To overcome the shortcomings, this paper focused on the preparation of the inclusion complex (IC) of NEO with 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HP-ß-CD) by the coprecipitation method. The optimal condition was inclusion temperature 36 ℃, time 247 min, stirring speed 520 r/min, and wall-core ratio 12:1, resulting in a recovery of 80.63%. The formation of IC was verified by various methods such as scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. The improvement of thermal stability, antioxidant, and nitrite scavenging activities of NEO after encapsulation was proven. Moreover, the controlled release of NEO from IC can be implemented by regulating the temperature and relative humidity. Overall, NEO/HP-ß-CD IC has great application potential in food industries.

Essential Oils and Sustainability: In Vitro Bioactivity Screening of Myristica fragrans Houtt. Post-Distillation By-Products.

The essential oil of Myristica fragrans Hutt. (nutmeg) is an important commodity used as a flavoring agent in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic fields. Hydrodistillation is chiefly employed at the industrial scale for nutmeg essential oil isolation, but such a technique generates large quantities of post-distillation by-products (e.g., spent plant material and residual distillation water). Therefore, our work aimed to propose a novel strategy for the valorization of nutmeg wastes, with beneficial economic and ecological advantages. Thus, the current study assessed the phytochemical (GC-MS, LC-HRMS/MS) and biological (antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, antimicrobial) profile of nutmeg crude materials (essential oil and total extract) and post-distillation by-products (residual water and spent material extract). Identified in these were 43 volatile compounds, with sabinene (21.71%), α-pinene (15.81%), myristicin (13.39%), and ß-pinene (12.70%) as the main constituents. LC-HRMS/MS analysis of the nutmeg extracts noted fifteen metabolites (e.g., organic acids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, and diarylnonanoids). Among the investigated nutmeg samples, the spent material extract was highlighted as an important source of bioactive compounds, with a total phenolic and flavonoid content of 63.31 ± 0.72 mg GAE/g and 8.31 ± 0.06 mg RE/g, respectively. Moreover, it showed prominent radical-scavenging and metal-reducing properties and significantly inhibited butyrylcholinesterase (4.78 ± 0.03 mg GALAE/g). Further, the spent material extract displayed strong antimicrobial effects against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Micrococcus luteus, and Bacillus cereus (minimum inhibitory concentrations of 62.5 mg/L). Overall, our study brings evidence on the health-promoting (antioxidant, anti-enzymatic, antimicrobial) potential of nutmeg post-distillation by-products with future reference to their valorization in the pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, and food industries.

Survivability of Lactobacillus plantarum in nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt) flesh extract and its effect on the performance of broiler chicken.

Objective: This study aimed to see if increasing the concentration of nutmeg flesh extract in vitro could increase the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria and if it had any effect on broiler chicken performance. Materials and Methods: Different concentrations of nutmeg flesh extract (5, 10, 15, and 20/100 ml distilled water) were combined with 10 ml L. plantarum (bacterial concentration 1 × 109 cfu/ml) to produce synbiotics. A total of 250 unsexed Lohmann broiler chickens were reared together from 0 to 7 days of age in the in vivo study. Beginning on day 8, synbiotics nutmeg flesh extract and L. plantarum were added to the ration in amounts of 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 ml/kg for T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively, while no synbiotics were added to the control diet (T0). Results: The levels of nutmeg flesh extract had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on L. plantarum growth. In the survival test against gastric acid, bile salts, and temperature, the addition of nutmeg flesh extract (20/100 ml distilled water) significantly (p < 0.05) maintained the population of L. plantarum. In vivo studies showed that the T1,T2,T3, and T4 groups gained more body weight (p < 0.05) than the T0 group during the rearing period but had no effect (p > 0.05) on the internal organ weight and carcass of broiler chickens. Conclusions: Nutmeg flesh extract could stimulate the growth of L. plantarum bacteria, and using it as a synbiotic could improve broiler chicken performance.

Nutmeg Essential Oil, Red Clover, and Liquorice Extracts Microencapsulation Method Selection for the Release of Active Compounds from Gel Tablets of Different Bases.

The current study presents the most suitable method for encapsulating nutmeg essential oil with liquorice and red clover. Two widely used methods, spray-drying and freeze-drying, were employed to find the most suitable for essential oil volatile compounds' protection. Results showed that freeze-dried capsules (LM) had a higher yield (85.34%) compared to the exact formulation of spray-dried microcapsules (SDM)-45.12%. All the antioxidant and total phenolic compounds' results obtained with the LM sample were significantly higher compared with SDM. LM microcapsules were incorporated in two different bases with no additional sugar (gelatin and pectin) for targeted release. Pectin tablets had firmer and harder texture properties, while gelatin tablets had a more elastic texture. There was a significant impact on texture changes caused by microcapsules. Microencapsulated essential oil with extracts can be used alone or in a gel base (pectin or gelatin, depending on user preferences). It could be an effective product to protect the active volatile compounds and regulate the release of active compounds and give a pleasant taste.