Seed morphological and biochemical studies in certain wild nutmegs

Key message Wild nutmeg species could be utilized as a source of fatty acids like the cultivated nutmeg. Myristicaceae is a tropical family, the members of which are utilized for medicinal properties in their native regions. Myristica fragrans is a species commercially exploited as a spice and medicine worldwide, while most of its allied species are yet to be studied in detail. In present study, three species viz. H orsfieldia glabra , Knema andamanica and Myristica andamanica were compared with the commercial nutmeg morphologically and biochemically to identify their utilization potential. Distinct variations were observed for seed morphological parameters among these species and seed dimensions were found to be the maximum in seeds of M. andamanica . Extraction yield varied significantly with solvent in H. glabra , K. andamanica and M. fragrans . Higher total phenolic content was recorded in methanolic extracts than acetone extracts in all the species and methanolic extract of M. andamanica had the highest total phenolic content (6.54 mg/g GAE). Seeds of all species were rich in saturated fats that varied between 59.4% ( H. glabra ) and 83.4% ( M. andamanica ). Methyl tetradecanoate was the most dominant compound in all the species, the content of which varied between 46.87 and 68.84%, while (Z)-9-octadecenoic acid methyl ester and methyl hexadecanoate were the other dominant compounds. Higher quantities of methyl dodecanoate (27.02%) and methyl cis -13-docosenoate (16.97%) were obtained from M. andamanica and H. glabra , respectively, while these compounds were present in minute quantities in other species.