[GC-MS analysis of essential oil from nutmeg processed by different traditional methods].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the chemical components of the essential oil extracted from the seeds of Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) processed by different methods (steamed with water steam, roasted with flour, sauted with flour, roasted with talcum powder, roasted with loess, and roasted with bran) and to provide quality control foundations in the sciences.


METHODS
The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation and separated with GC capillary column. The relative content of every compound was determined with area normalization method and the structures were elucidated by GC-MS technique.


RESULTS
Fifty-eight to one hundred and four of chromatographic peaks were detected, among them seventy-six compounds accounting for 98.32% to 99.99% of the total essential oil in nutmeg were identified, which were composed of 69.15% to 97.24% for monoterpenoids and 2.06% to 25.51% for aromatic compounds of the total essential oil, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
It was shown that monoterpenoids and their derivatives were main composition, and aromatic compounds were secondary composition in the total essential oil of nutmeg grows in Indonesia and processed by different traditional methods on the basis of theory of traditional Chinese medicine. In addition, it was suggested that we should be careful to use processed nutmeg owing to contain safrole and a-asarone induced genetoxicity in animals and mutagenicity in the Ames Salmonella assay, and myristicin and elemicin induced narcotism in human. The processed method roasted with bran for nutmeg may be better and will be developed.
Hang
Xin
X
Department of Natural Medicines and State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China.
Yang
Xiu-wei
XW
D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D000840:Anisoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001593:Benzyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004148:Dioxolanes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015394:Molecular Structure; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D026323:Myristica / Q000737:chemistry*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D011748:Pyrogallol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012451:Safrole / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*
D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D000840:Anisoles; D001593:Benzyl Compounds; D004148:Dioxolanes; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; C012195:asarone; D011748:Pyrogallol; C005246:myristicin; C002135:elemicin; D012451:Safrole