Introduction of Rou Dou Kou:Nutmeg or Semen Myristicae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Nutmeg, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Myristica fragrans Houtt., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Nutmeg, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Semen Myristicae(Nutmeg).
Pin Yin Name: Ròu Dòu Kòu.
English Name: Nutmeg.
Latin Name: Semen Myristicae.
Property and flavor: warm nature, tastes pungent.
Brief introduction: The Herb Semen Myristicae is the dried kernel of Myristica fragrans Houtt., used as an antidiarrhetic agent by warming the spleen and stomach for the treatment of chronic diarrhea. The herb is commonly known as Semen Myristicae, Nutmeg, Ròu Dòu Kòu.
Botanical source: Herbal classic books of TCM defined the herb Semen Myristicae (Rou Dou Kou) as the seed, or kernel(or dry kernel) of the Myristicaceae family Myristica L. genus plant species (1). Myristica fragrans Houtt. Common herbal books of USA (the United States of America) defined the herb Nutmeg(and Mace) as from species (1). Myristica fragrans Houtt. "The kernel is dried to produce nutmeg and the aril is dried to produce mace. Steam distillation of both yields an essential oil.". Common herbal books of Europe defined the herb Nutmeg as the seed of species (1). Myristica fragrans Houtt. It is a plant of the Myristica Gronov genus, the Myristicaceae family (nutmeg family) of the Rosales order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Myristica fragrans Houtt.
Botanical description: The plant, Myristica fragrans Houtt is a plant of the Myristicaceae family (nutmeg family) Myristica L. genus, it is commonly known as Myristica fragrans Houtt, or Myristica fragrans, Nutmeg:myristica, nux moschata;Mace:macis, muscade., or Ròu Dòu Kòu. An evergreen tree, it grows up to 15 meters tall, or up to 20 meters tall. Leaves are alternate, coriaceous; petioles are 4-10 mm long, or 6-12 mm long; leaf blades are elliptic, elliptic lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 3.5-7 cm long, or 5~15 cm long, coriaceous, apex is short acuminate, base is pointed, entire, both surfaces are glabrous, lateral veins are in 8–10 pairs, the upper surface is pale yellowish-brown, the under surface is darker, has reddish-brown veins.
Flowers are unisexual (separate), dioecious; raceme, axillary; male inflorescences are 1-3 cm long, has 3–20 flowers, rarely 1–2 flowers, flowers are 4-5 mm long, 3-4 tapels (perianth lobes), triangular-ovate, densely covered with taupe (grayish brown) fluff, 9–12 anthers, strip-shaped, filaments connect to terete shape (cylindrical shape); female inflorescences are longer than male inflorescences, peduncles are thick, has 1–2 flowers, flowers are about 6 mm long, 3 tapels, densely puberulose (puberulent), ovary is elliptic, densely covered with rust-colored fluff, style is extremely short, stigma is 2-lobed.
Fruits are usually solitary, short stipitate, pyriform (pear-shaped) or subsphaeroidal (near-spherical), 5-7 cm long, faint yellow or salmon color (orange red), vertical split to 2 valves at maturity, expose scarlet pulpose aril. It contains 1 seed inside, spermoderm (seed coat) is russet (reddish-brown), the xylem (wood part) is firm and hard.
Nutmeg is known by many names, such as Myristica fragrans, mace, magic, muscdier, muskatbaum, myristica, noz moscada, nuez moscada, and nux moschata. Nutmeg
Nutmeg tree branch. is most commonly used as a cooking spice, comes from the fruit of a 50 ft (about 15.24 meters) tall tropical evergreen tree. This tree grows in Southeast Asia, New Guinea. The bark is smooth and grayish brown, with green young branches and leaves. The oblong, pulpose fruit, called the nutmeg apple, contains a nut from which nutmeg is made. The dried nut and essential oil are both used as medicine.
The nutmeg tree is a large evergreen tree native to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas and grows to a height of about 18 meters. It produces fruits fifteen to twenty years after planting. The fruit of the nutmeg tree, which is similar in color and size to apricot, splits at maturity, revealing the brilliant red arils encasing the brown nut. The red arils on drying become orange and are the mace of commerce. The nut is also dried until the kernel inside rattles.
The tree is about 25 feet (about 7.62 meters) high, has a greyish-brown smooth bark, abounding in a yellow juice. The branches spread in whorls - alternate leaves, on petioles about 1 inch (about 2.54 cm) long, elliptical, glabrous, obtuse at base-acuminate, aromatic, dark green and glossy above, paler underside and 4~6 inches (about 15.24 cm) long. Flowers are dioecious, small in axillary racemes. Peduncles and pedicles are glabrous. Male flowers are three to five more on a peduncle. Calyx is urceolate, thick and succulent, covered with an indistinct reddish pubescence dingy pale yellow, cut into three upright teeth. Female flowers differ little from the male, except the pedicel is often solitary. The fruit is a pendulous, globose drupe, consisting of a succulent pericarp-the mace arillus covering the hard endocarp, and a wrinkled kernel with ruminated endosperm. When the arillus is fresh it is a brilliant scarlet, when dry more corneous, brittle (crisp), and a yellowish-brown color. The seed or nutmeg is firm, succulent, whitish, transversed by red-brown veins, abounding in oil. The tree does not bloom until it is nine years old when it fruits and continues to do so for seventy-five years without attention. In Banda Islands, there are three harvests, the chief one in July or August, the next in November, and the last in March or April. The fruit is gathered utilizing a barb attached to a long stick. The mace is separated from the nut and both are dried separately. The nutmeg or kernel of the fruit and the arillus or mace are the official parts.
Ecological environment: The plant was native to the Maluku Islands, widely cultivated in tropical regions. Geographical distribution: This species is mainly cultivated in some areas of east-south Asia and Brazil. This species has been introduced in China, and it is cultivated in the Zhujiang river area, southwest, and other areas.
Growth characteristics: The plant likes a tropical and subtropical climate. Its suitable growth temperatures are 25~30 °C (Celsius, or 77~86 degrees Fahrenheit), cold resistance is weak, cold damage occurs at 6 °C (Celsius, or 42.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Annual rainfall should be in the scope of 1,700 to 2,300 mm, avoid water accumulation. Young trees like shade, old trees like the light. It is appropriate to choose a field with deep soil layers, loose, fertile loam with good drainage for cultivation.
Characters of herbs: The kernel is ovoid, oval, or elliptical shape, 2~3.5 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm wide. The surface is taupe brown (grayish-brown) or sallow (grayish-yellow) to dark brown, with reticulated grooves, often covered with white lime powder; The hilum of the seed is located at the wide end, a light-colored circular protrusion, the chalazal is located at a dark concave part on the narrow end, and the raphe is in the shape of a conspicuous longitudinal groove, connecting both ends. The texture of the herb is firm and hard, difficult to break, brown or dark brown endosperm are visible in the broken surface and extend inward, which is interlaced with white endosperm to form marble-like stripes. When cutting longitudinally, there is a small cavity in the wide end is visible, which contains small driedup embryos and curly cotyledons. The herb has a strong fragrance, it tastes spicy and slightly bitter. The herb of a better grade has big grains, heavy, firm and farctate, and strong fragrance when it is broken.
Pharmacological actions: ①.sedative and hypnotic effects; ②.antibacterial effect: its component methylisoeugenol can inhibit Staphylococcus aureus and Diplococcus pneumoniae, and Malabarone B has a strong antibacterial effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Streptococcus durans; ③.other functions:stimulating the gastrointestinal tract and lowering the glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, etc.
Medicinal efficacy: Warming middle energizer to promote Qi, descending Qi, promoting the circulation of Qi, help digestion, astringent intestines and relieve diarrhea. It is indicated for deficient cold of spleen and stomach (insufficiency of spleen-Yang, deficiency cold of the spleen), unstoppable chronic diarrhea, diarrhea of deficiency type, cold dysentery, poor appetite and emesia (take little food, vomit or throw up), dyspepsia or indigestion, abdominal distnetion pain, epigastric distended pain, etc.
Administration of Semen Myristicae (Ròu Dòu Kòu):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Semen Myristicae (Ròu Dòu Kòu)
✵The article gives records of the herb Nutmeg, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Myristica fragrans Houtt., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Nutmeg, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Ròu Dòu Kòu.
Botanical description: The plant, Myristica fragrans Houtt is a plant of the Myristicaceae family (nutmeg family) Myristica L. genus, it is commonly known as Myristica fragrans Houtt, or Myristica fragrans, Nutmeg:myristica, nux moschata;Mace:macis, muscade., or Ròu Dòu Kòu. An evergreen tree, it grows up to 15 meters tall, or up to 20 meters tall. Leaves are alternate, coriaceous; petioles are 4-10 mm long, or 6-12 mm long; leaf blades are elliptic, elliptic lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 3.5-7 cm long, or 5~15 cm long, coriaceous, apex is short acuminate, base is pointed, entire, both surfaces are glabrous, lateral veins are in 8–10 pairs, the upper surface is pale yellowish-brown, the under surface is darker, has reddish-brown veins.
Flowers are unisexual (separate), dioecious; raceme, axillary; male inflorescences are 1-3 cm long, has 3–20 flowers, rarely 1–2 flowers, flowers are 4-5 mm long, 3-4 tapels (perianth lobes), triangular-ovate, densely covered with taupe (grayish brown) fluff, 9–12 anthers, strip-shaped, filaments connect to terete shape (cylindrical shape); female inflorescences are longer than male inflorescences, peduncles are thick, has 1–2 flowers, flowers are about 6 mm long, 3 tapels, densely puberulose (puberulent), ovary is elliptic, densely covered with rust-colored fluff, style is extremely short, stigma is 2-lobed.
Fruits are usually solitary, short stipitate, pyriform (pear-shaped) or subsphaeroidal (near-spherical), 5-7 cm long, faint yellow or salmon color (orange red), vertical split to 2 valves at maturity, expose scarlet pulpose aril. It contains 1 seed inside, spermoderm (seed coat) is russet (reddish-brown), the xylem (wood part) is firm and hard.
The tree is about 25 feet (about 7.62 meters) high, has a greyish-brown smooth bark, abounding in a yellow juice. The branches spread in whorls - alternate leaves, on petioles about 1 inch (about 2.54 cm) long, elliptical, glabrous, obtuse at base-acuminate, aromatic, dark green and glossy above, paler underside and 4~6 inches (about 15.24 cm) long. Flowers are dioecious, small in axillary racemes. Peduncles and pedicles are glabrous. Male flowers are three to five more on a peduncle. Calyx is urceolate, thick and succulent, covered with an indistinct reddish pubescence dingy pale yellow, cut into three upright teeth. Female flowers differ little from the male, except the pedicel is often solitary. The fruit is a pendulous, globose drupe, consisting of a succulent pericarp-the mace arillus covering the hard endocarp, and a wrinkled kernel with ruminated endosperm. When the arillus is fresh it is a brilliant scarlet, when dry more corneous, brittle (crisp), and a yellowish-brown color. The seed or nutmeg is firm, succulent, whitish, transversed by red-brown veins, abounding in oil. The tree does not bloom until it is nine years old when it fruits and continues to do so for seventy-five years without attention. In Banda Islands, there are three harvests, the chief one in July or August, the next in November, and the last in March or April. The fruit is gathered utilizing a barb attached to a long stick. The mace is separated from the nut and both are dried separately. The nutmeg or kernel of the fruit and the arillus or mace are the official parts.
Ecological environment: The plant was native to the Maluku Islands, widely cultivated in tropical regions. Geographical distribution: This species is mainly cultivated in some areas of east-south Asia and Brazil. This species has been introduced in China, and it is cultivated in the Zhujiang river area, southwest, and other areas.
Growth characteristics: The plant likes a tropical and subtropical climate. Its suitable growth temperatures are 25~30 °C (Celsius, or 77~86 degrees Fahrenheit), cold resistance is weak, cold damage occurs at 6 °C (Celsius, or 42.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Annual rainfall should be in the scope of 1,700 to 2,300 mm, avoid water accumulation. Young trees like shade, old trees like the light. It is appropriate to choose a field with deep soil layers, loose, fertile loam with good drainage for cultivation.
Characters of herbs: The kernel is ovoid, oval, or elliptical shape, 2~3.5 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm wide. The surface is taupe brown (grayish-brown) or sallow (grayish-yellow) to dark brown, with reticulated grooves, often covered with white lime powder; The hilum of the seed is located at the wide end, a light-colored circular protrusion, the chalazal is located at a dark concave part on the narrow end, and the raphe is in the shape of a conspicuous longitudinal groove, connecting both ends. The texture of the herb is firm and hard, difficult to break, brown or dark brown endosperm are visible in the broken surface and extend inward, which is interlaced with white endosperm to form marble-like stripes. When cutting longitudinally, there is a small cavity in the wide end is visible, which contains small driedup embryos and curly cotyledons. The herb has a strong fragrance, it tastes spicy and slightly bitter. The herb of a better grade has big grains, heavy, firm and farctate, and strong fragrance when it is broken.
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