Nutmeg is a valued kitchen spice that has been used for centuries all over the world. In addition to its use in flavoring foods and beverages, nutmeg has been used in traditional remedies for stomach and kidney disorders. The antioxidant, antimicrobial and central nervous system effects of nutmeg have also been reported in literature. Nutmeg is a rich source of fixed and essential oil, triterpenes, and various types of phenolic compounds. Many of the secondary metabolites of nutmeg exhibit biological activities that may support its use in traditional medicine. This article provides an overview of the chemistry of secondary metabolites isolated from nutmeg kernel and mace including common methods for analysis of extracts and pure compounds as well as recent approaches towards total synthesis of some of the major constituents. A summary of the most significant pharmacological investigations of potential drug leads isolated from nutmeg and reported in the last decade is also included.

中文翻译：

---

肉豆蔻次生代谢产物的化学多样性和药理学意义。

肉豆蔻是一种珍贵的厨房香料，已经在世界范围内使用了多个世纪。除了用于调味食品和饮料之外，肉豆蔻还被用于治疗胃和肾脏疾病的传统药物。肉豆蔻的抗氧化，抗微生物和中枢神经系统作用也已在文献中报道。肉豆蔻富含固定油和精油，三萜烯和各种类型的酚类化合物。肉豆蔻的许多次生代谢产物具有生物学活性，可支持其在传统医学中的使用。本文概述了从肉豆蔻仁和肉豆蔻中分离出的次生代谢产物的化学概况，包括分析提取物和纯化合物的常用方法，以及对某些主要成分进行全合成的最新方法。