Pharmacognostical, physicochemical, phytochemical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial evaluation of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) seed extracts

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) has been traditionally revered for its culinary and medicinal applications in Ayurveda, Unani, and other indigenous systems. Despite its ethnopharmacological significance, systematic scientific validation of its quality, bioactive profile, and antimicrobial potential remains limited. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the pharmacognostical, physicochemical, phytochemical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of methanolic and acetone extracts of Nutmeg seeds. Dried Nutmeg seeds were extracted using Soxhlet extraction with methanol and acetone. Standard physicochemical parameters including total ash, acid-insoluble ash, water-insoluble ash, moisture content, and foreign matter were determined. Total phenolic content was quantified via the Folin-Ciocalteu method, while antioxidant activity was assessed using the DPPH assay. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus using the agar well diffusion method. The methanolic extract yielded 36.06%, while the acetone extract yielded 44.01%. Physicochemical parameters were within acceptable limits, indicating good quality. Methanolic extract exhibited higher total phenolic content (366.4 ± 0.06 mg GAE/g) compared to the acetone extract (193.12 ± 0.18 mg GAE/g). DPPH radical scavenging activity revealed dose-dependent antioxidant effects, with IC₅₀ values of 52.46 μg/mL for methanol and 68.29 μg/mL for acetone extracts. Antimicrobial studies confirmed moderate antibacterial activity, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus. This study validates the traditional uses of Nutmeg, confirming its rich phenolic content, significant antioxidant, and moderate antibacterial activities. These findings scientifically substantiate Nutmeg’s pharmacological potential and support its future application in herbal medicine and natural antimicrobial formulations.