IT may occasion some surprise to those men of science who are ill-acquainted with India, and who so frequently express the view that Governments are unappreciative of the importance of science to learn that as far back as 1886 the Government of India arranged for Dr. George (later Sir George) Watt, professor of botany in the Presidency College, Calcutta, to prepare a "Dictionary of the Economic Products of India". The six volumes of this standard work were published during the years 1889-99. In 1908 Sir George Watt published a condensed version, "The Commercial Products of India". Whatever the defects of these 'dictionaries', they have been of inestimable value to all interested in Indian natural products. The Wealth of India A Dictionary of Indian Raw Materials and Industrial Products. Raw Materials, Vol. 1. Pp. xxvii+254+39 plates. 15 rupees ; 24s. Industrial Products, Part 1. Pp. xii+182+8 plates. 8 rupees ; 12s. (New Delhi : Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, 1948.)

The Wealth of India

Since ancient times, essential oils are recognized for their medicinal value and they are very interesting and powerful natural plant products. They continue to be of paramount importance until the present day. Essential oils have been used as perfumes, flavors for foods and beverages, or to heal both body and mind for thousands of years (Baris et al., 2006; Margaris et al., 1982; Tisserand, 1997; Wei & Shibamoto 2010). Record findings in Mesopotamia, China, India, Persia and ancient Egypt show their uses for many treatments in various forms. For example, in the ancient Egypt, the population extracted oils by infusion. Later; Greeks and Romans used distillation and thus gave aromatic plants an additional value. With the advent of Islamic civilization, extraction techniques have been further refined. In the era of the Renaissance, Europeans have taken over the task and with the development of science the composition and the nature of essential oils have been well established and studied (Burt, 2004; Peeyush et al., 2011; Steven, 2010; Suaib et al., 2007). Nowadays, peppermint, lavender, geranium, eucalyptus, rose, bergamot, sandalwood and chamomile essential oils are the most frequently traded ones.

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The Therapeutic Benefits of Essential Oils

Toxicology of insecticides

Myristica fragrans Houtt is mostly cultivated for spices in Penang Island, Malaysia. The ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of flesh, mace and seed of Myristica fragrans was evaluated the bactericidal potential against three Gram-positive cariogenic bacteria (Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175, Streptococcus mitis ATCC 6249, and Streptococcus salivarius ATCC 13419) and three Gram-negative periodontopathic bacteria (Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans ATCC 29522, Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277, and Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC 25586). Antibacterial activities of the extracts was determined by twofold serial microdilution, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranging from 1.25 to 640 mg/mL and 0.075 to 40 mg/mL. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was obtained by subculturing method. Among all extracts tested, ethyl acetate extract of flesh has the highest significant inhibitory effects against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with mean MIC value ranging from 0.625 to 1.25±0.00 (SD) mg/mL; 𝑃=0.017) and highest bactericidal effects at mean MBC value ranging from 0.625 mg/mL to 20±0.00 (SD) mg/mL. While for seed and mace of Myristica fragrans, their ethanol extracts exhibited good antibacterial activity against both groups of test pathogens compared to its ethyl acetate extracts. All of the extracts of Myristica fragrans did not show any antibacterial activities against Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC 25586. Thus, our study showed the potential effect of ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts from flesh, seed and mace of Myristica fragrans to be new natural agent that can be incorporated in oral care products.

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Antibacterial Activity of Myristica fragrans against Oral Pathogens.

Arecanut seed has been used for medicinal properties more than 2000 years in South Asian countries. In fact, various pharmacological activities have been found in the arecanut seed extract or its constituents. Prevention of oxidative stress induced diseases is an urgent problem in all over the world. Traditional use of the plant for medicinal properties is to be documented for their possible use as future medicines or drugs. There is a need for identifying native natural plant sources to acquire to their recognized medicinal properties, which may widen them to use as new therapeutics for various diseases. In the present article, it has been described about usefulness of arecanut as an herbal drug and its therapeutics application prospects.

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A review on phytochemical and pharmacological potential of areca catechu l. seed

Myristica fragrans is an evergreen tree that produces two spices, nutmeg and mace. Its medicinal uses in the aurvedic system of treatment are based on traditional experience inherited from one generation to other. Scientists from various disciplines are now directing their research towards investigating the effects of M. fragrans on human health. The chemical constituents of M. fragrans have been investigated for hypolipidaemic and hypocholesterolemic effects, antimicrobial, antidepressant, aphrodisiac, memory enhancing, antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties. Recent studies have revealed strong insecticidal and molluscicidal activities of M. fragrans. Despite some laboratory studies on the insecticidal / molluscicidal activity of M. fragrans, more field studies are recommended for effective control of pests. It is clearly evident from the literature review that M. fragrans deserves more attention by scientific community and public health specialists to explore its full range of benefits in the welfare of the society

https://arbs.biblioteca.unesp.br/index.php/arbs/article/download/1806-8774.2009v11p21/129

Biological Effects of Myristica fragrans

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Preetee Jaiswal

Papers

Biological Effects of Myristica fragrans

Areca catechu L.: A Valuable Herbal Medicine Against Different Health Problems

Molluscicidal activity of Carica papaya and Areca catechu against the freshwater snail Lymnaea acuminata.

Enzyme inhibition by molluscicidal component of Areca catechu and Carica papaya in the nervous tissue of vector snail Lymnaea acuminata

Carica papaya Linn: A Potential source for various health problems