Antioxidant and antibacterial activity of nutmeg oil (Myristica fragrans Houtt) from Ambon Moluccas

Nutmeg is a tropical plant widely found in Indonesia, especially in Maluku. This plant has benefits in all its parts. The fruit consists of flesh, seeds (nuts), and mace. Nutmeg seeds can be used as nutmeg oil with the essential oil, including sabinene 28,13%, 4-terpineol 22,02%, myristicin 13,95%, and alpha-pinene 11,45%. The presence of these volatile oil compounds can inhibit 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals and can inhibit bacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. This study aimed to determine the antioxidant and antibacterial activity of nutmeg seed oil. Nutmeg seed oil was extracted by the distillation method, then tested for antioxidants by the DPPH method, and the antibacterial activity by the disc diffusion method. The results showed that nutmeg seed oil had an antioxidant activity with a DPPH inhibition percentage of 58,34% and an IC₅₀ value of 299,69 μg/mL. The results of the antibacterial activity of nutmeg oil showed that it effectively inhibited the growth of E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa bacteria.