Jaiphal, Jatiphala, Nutmeg

Biological Source

Jatiphala consists of the endosperm of dried seeds (kernels of fruits) of Myristica fragrans Houtt. (Family - Myristicaceae), dioecious or occasionally monoecious aromatic tree, about 10-20 m high, found mostly in Tamil Nadu and to some extent in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Assam.

Synonyms

Sanskrit :- Jatisasya, Jatiphala

Assam :- Jaiphal, Kanivish

Bengali :- Jaiphala, Jaitri

English :- Nutmeg

Gujrati :- Jaiphala, Jayfar

Hindi :- Jaiphal

Kannada :- Jadikai, Jaykai, Jaidikai

Kashmiri :- Jafal

Malayalam :- Jatika

Marathi :- Jaiphal

Oriya :- Jaiphal

Punjabi :- Jaiphal

Tamil :- Sathikkai, Jathikkai, Jatikkai, Jadhikai, Jadhikkai

Telugu :- Jajikaya

Urdu :- Jauzbuwa, Jaiphal

Description

A) Macroscopic

Seed ellipsoid, 20-30 mm long and about 20 mm broad, externally greenishbrown sometimes marked with small irregular dark brown patches or minute dark points and lines slightly furrowed reticulately, a small light-coloured area at one end indicating the position of the radicle a groove running along the line of raphe to the darker chalaza at the opposite end, surrounded by a thin layer of peri sperm with infoldings appearing as dark ruminations in the abundant greyish-brown endosperm, embryo, in an irregular cavity, small with two widely spreading crumpled cotyledons and a small radicle odour, strong and aromatic, taste, pungent and aromatic.

B) Microscopic

Transverse section of endosperm shows peripheral perisperm, of several layers of strongly, flattened polyhederal cells with brown contents, or containing prismatic crystals, inner layer of perisperm of thin-walled parenchyma about 40 μ thick, infolding into the tissue of the endosperm to form the ruminations containing numerous, very large oil cells with brown cell walls, vascular strands, in the peripheral region, numerous small spiral vessels, large celled, endosperm, parenchymatous With occasional tannin idioblasts with thin brown walls, containing numerous simple, rounded and compound starch grains, with upto about 10 components usually 2-8 individual grains, upto 20 μ in diameter present, most of the cells with crystalline fat and often a large aleurone grain in each cell, containing a rhombic protein crystal upto 12 μ and small aleurone grains with less regular crystalloids, embryo, of shrivelled and collapsed parenchyma.

Identity, Purity and Strength

Foreign matter :- Not more than 1 per cent,

Total Ash :- Not more than 3 per cent,

Acid-insoluble ash :- Not more than 0.5 per cent,

Alcohol-soluble extractive :- Not less than 11 per cent,

Water-soluble extractive :- Not less than 7 per cent,

Ether soluble extractive :- Not less than 25 per cent,

Volatile oil :- Not less than 5 per cent,

Active Constituents

Essential oil and fixed oil.

Properties and Action

Rasa :- Katu, Tikta

Guna :- Laghu, Tiksna

Virya :- Usna

Vipaka :- Katu

Karma :- Dipana, Grahi, Vrsya, Mukhakledanasaka, Mukhadaurgandhyanasaka, Kaphavatapana

Important Formulations

Jatiphaladi Churna

Therapeutic Uses

Atisara, Svasa, Chardi, Kasa, Pinasa, Grahani, Mukharoga,

Sukrameha

Dose

0.5 - 1.0 g of the drug in powder form.