Nutmeg Seeds (Myristica fragrans) have a number of health effects in humans and animals. One effect that has been identified is that of sedatives. For example, in an experiment on mice locomotor activity was significantly inhibited by administration of nutmeg essential oil. A number of phytochemicals were detected in the plasma of the mice after administration of the essential oil, including the flavonoid myristicin, as well as safrole and fatty esters. The presence of these compounds coincided with the sedative effects of the nutmeg, suggesting that they may be responsible for it. The sedative effects of nutmeg support the role of nutmeg in the treatment of mood disorders and as an important sleep aid. Nutmeg can be used as a spice and added to foods or can be taken as a supplement. Studies show that eating nutmeg is safe and other health benefits may exist for it including its use as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound, which makes it an effective cardioprotective and anti-obesity agent.
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