Sunday, 3 November 2013

Chinese Herbs – Rou Dou Kou (Semen Myristicae Fragrantis)

Rou Dou Kou is also known as Nutmegs. The acrid, warm and toxic herb has been used in TCM to treat diarrhea, abdominal pain and flatulence, cold extremities, incontrollable diarrhea, lack of appetite and vomiting, weak digestion, vomiting and diarrhea, etc. as it warms the Middle Burner, moves Qi, stops incontinence of stools and anal ptosis due to chronic diarrhea, etc. by enhancing the functions of spleen, stomach and large intestine channels.

Ingredients
1. Pinene
2. Sabinene
3. Camphene
4. Myristicin
5. Eugenol¡
6. Safrol
7. Elemicin
8. Alpha-Thujene
9. Carene
10. Dipentene
11. Geraniol
12. Myristin
13.Olein
14. Etc.

Health Benefits
1. Mutagenic and antimutagenic effects
In the study to investigate the potential anticancer efficacy of the leaf extract of Myristica fragrans (Houtt.). Methanol leaf extract of M. fragrans (Houtt.) alone for mutagenicity in the bacterial reverse mutation (Ames) test, using the Salmonella typhimurium TA100 strain, the Allium cepa, found that Phytochemical compounds, possessing antioxidant activity, may be responsible for the observed effects, suggesting a strong antimutagenic activity of the MeOH leaf extract of M. fragrans, a necessary characteristic of a promising anticancer agent.(1).
2. Sexual function improving effect
In the study to evaluate the aphrodisiac effect of 50% ethanolic extract of nutmeg along with its likely adverse effects and acute toxicity using various animal models, showed that he resultant significant and sustained increase in the sexual activity of normal male rats without any conspicuous adverse effects indicates that the 50% ethanolic extract of nutmeg possesses aphrodisiac activity, increasing both libido and potency, which might be attributed to its nervous stimulating property. The present study thus provides a scientific rationale for the traditional use of nutmeg in the management of male sexual disorders(2).
3. Antibacterial activity
I the study to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Prasaprohyai formula and its components against pathogenic bacteria, showed the that Prasaprohyai formula and its components were able to inhibit the growth of both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria including multiresistant strains. The volatile oil extracts seemed to play an important role in antimicrobial activities. The development of Prasaprohyai formula for alternative medicine will be approached in future(3).
4. Antioxidant and antiangiogenic activities 
In the study to investigate the anti-angiogenic activity and antioxidant properties of Myristica fragrans (M. fragrans) (nutmeg) and Morinda citrifolia (M. citrifolia)(mengkudu) oils, indicated that nutmeg oil has higher antioxidant activity than mengkudu oil. The nutmeg oil effectively inhibited the oxidation of linoleic acid with (88.68±0.1)% while the inhibition percentage of oxidation of linoleic acid of the mengkudu oil is (69.44±0.4)%. The nutmeg oil and mengkudu oil showed reducing power with an EC(50) value of 181.4 μg/mL and 3 043.0 μg/mL, respectively. The antiangiogenic activity of nutmeg oil showed significant antiangiogenic activity with IC(50) of 77.64 μg/mL comparing to mengkudu oil which exhibits IC(50) of 109.30 μg/mL(4).
5. Etc.

Side Effects
1. Do not use the herb in newborn, children or if you are pregnant or breast feeding without first consulting with the related field specialist.
2. Do not use the herb in case of diarrhea due to damp-heat infection or food poisoning
3. Do not use the herb in case of hemorrhoids or gum infections
4. Etc.

 
Sources
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22149219
(2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16033651
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22619922
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22449521

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