Nausea nutmeg

Traditionally, nutmeg has been used to treat digestive disorders, such as nausea and diarrhoea, and kidney ailments. Southeast Asians also treat fevers, headaches and bronchial problems with nutmeg. The Chinese consider it to be an aphrodisiac. 

Nutmeg is used more commonly in Oriental medicine than in Western medicine. Medicinally, it is known for its stimulative and carminative properties. The seeds are carminative, stomachic, astringent, deodorant, narcotic and aphrodisiac, and useful in flatulence, nausea and vomiting. The antioxidant property of nutmeg was reviewed by Krishnamoorthy and Rema (2000). Both nutmeg and mace are used in the pharmaceutical industries. Powdered nutmeg is rarely administered alone, but it enters into the composition of numerous medicines as aromatic adjuncts. 

A 28-year-old woman ingested 18.3 g of powdered nutmeg. Following a period of disorientation, delirium and excitement, the patient became semi-stuporous for 12 hours. For some days she complained of numbness, dizziness and nausea and there were further periods of excitement. No specific therapy was given and she was discharged after 7 days (R. C. Green, J. Am. med. Ass., 1959,171, 1342-1344). 

Large doses of nutmeg seed can cause nausea, vomiting, flushing, dry mouth, tachycardia, nervous system stimulation possibly with epileptiform convulsions, miosis, mydriasis, euphoria, and hallucinations (5). 

Clinical features of nutmeg poisoning are similar to those of belladonna (anticholinergic), with facial flushing, tachycardia, hypertension, dry mouth, and blurred vision. Initial symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal... 

A review of nutmeg poisoning cases reported to a poison control center indicated that doses of 14 to 80 g elicited symptoms ranging from weakness or restlessness to nausea, vomiting, and tachycardia. None of the cases was fatal (Stein et al. 2001). 

In healthy volunteers orally administered a single dose of 400 mg of the compound myristicin, alertness, "a feeling of irresponsibility," a sense of euphoria in two subjects, and an unpleasant reaction (anxiety, fear, tremors, tachycardia, and nausea) in two subjects were reported. The dose of myristicin used was equivalent to approximately 40 g of nutmeg, although the author noted that myristicin does not reproduce the entire activities of whole nutmeg (Truitt et al. 1960). 

Traditional Medicine. Nutmeg and mace have been used for centuries in both Western and Eastern cultures mainly as carminative and stimulants in treating flatulence, indigestion, nausea, and other stomach as well as kidney problems. They have also been report-... 

---