Description: Medium sized evergreen tree (up to 20 high), with yellow fleshy fruit splitting in two when mature and revealing a shiny seed (nutmeg) surrounded by a red aril (mace) becoming brown later. Nutmeg trees are indigenous to the tropical rain forest of Molucca archipelago(Indonesia), they are now cultivated also in other parts of Indonesia, West Indies (Grenada) and Sri lanKa

Parts used: nutmeg, mace

Constituents: mace essential oil (8 to 13%) : terpens and phenolic ethers (eugenol, myristicanol)
nutmeg essential oil(5 to 15%) : terpens(sabinene, pinene, limonene) and phenolic ethers (myristicine and elemicine (5 to 7%), eugenol (1%) and a very small amount of safrole).
nutmeg butter : 25 to 40% of the nutmeg's weight and it is a solid at room temperature.

Actions: antiseptic, stomachic, stimulant, carminative, traditionally aphrodisiac, hallucinogenic

Main indications: spice in various dishes and drinks, to stimulate appetite, to control flatulence and digestive infections (gastro-enteritis, colitis)

Contra indications: serious intoxication(death is possible) with the content of 1 to 3 nutmeg (5 to 15 g), hallucination, delirium with agitation, chronic psychosis when the intoxication is chronic (prison inmates). Possibly carcinogenic due to the presence of safrole

Drug: nutmeg, mace, essential oil , nutmeg butter, nutmeg oil

Description: oleander is an evergreen bush or small tree native to the mediterranean area but found now worlwide in tropical and subtropical regions. It is an ornemental , resistant to drough with beautiful pink or white flowers.
Yellow oleander is native of south and central America, it is a tropical tree with an elegant foliage and beautiful yellow flowers

Parts used: all parts of both species

Constituents: both trees contain cardiac glycosides (cardenolides); all parts of oleander(oleandrin) included the sap ; all parts of yellow oleander(thevetin) but over all the seeds

Actions: digoxin-like effects : bradycardia, conduction abnormalities with hyperkalaemia

Main indications: congestive heart failure, possible anticancer effects (sarcoma, prostate and breast cancer), rodent poisoning

Contra indications: The high risk circumstances of exposure are children playing with the ornamental shrub (tasting, chewing), water near the roots and wood smoke are possibly toxic or irritating. Intoxications symptoms : bradycardia, gastrointestinal (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), conduction abnormalities(ventricular arythmia, ventricular fibrillation )

Drug: extracts