KEEP sprinkling the nutmeg on those cappuccinos as the spice can help prevent liver damage, according to a study today. The ingredient commonly added to pies and other foods already has superfood status for its ability to treat a range of ailments from toothache to asthma to heart disease in various cultures across the world.
But the latest research adds the spice’s ability to form a protective barrier around the liver to its long list of healing properties.
Scientists from universities led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences tested nutmeg on mice to see how it helped the liver and other organs as it has long been used in various forms of Chinese medicine.
It found a dose of nutmeg restored compounds such as lipids and acylcarnitines to healthy levels by modulating a gene called the PPARA, the peroxisome prolifererator-activated receptor alpha.
When this gene was removed in the experiments, the researchers found that the nutmeg extract was unable to prevent damage to the liver.
It is believed the secret is a specific compound found in nutmeg called myrislignan which modulates the PPARA receptor, said the study team, which included universities in Beijing and Maryland, USA.
In Chinese medicine, nutmeg is used to treat many forms of pain from rheumatism and infections to toothache and asthma.
More scientific research in recent years shows the spice, which comes from the Myristica fragrans tree in Indonesia, has been beneficial in fighting heart tissue damage and hyperglycemia.
The world consumers 9,000 tones of nutmeg a year, said the study in the specialised publication The Journal of Proteome Research.
It reported: “Nutmeg is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat gastrointestinal diseases.
“This data demonstrates that nutmeg alleviates TAA (thiocetamide) liver injury through the modulation of PPARA and that the lignan compounds in nutmeg partly contributed to this action.”
Source: Daily Express