Background: Myristica fragrans Houtt. (nutmeg) contains antibacterial, antiviral and anti-cancer activities. However, the mechanisms underlying those activities have not been clearly explained.
Objective: To study the effect of Myristica fragrans Houtt. methanolic extract on Jurkat human leukemia T cell line.
Material and Method: Methanol extract of Myristica fragrans Houtt. (Myristicaceae) was used to study the effect on Jurkat cell metabolic activity using an MTT assay and on apoptosis using annexin V staining. Expression of SIRT1 gene was determined by RT-PCR.
Results: At the concentrations 50 and 100 μg/mL, the methanol extract of Myristica fragrans Houtt significantly inhibited Jurkat cell proliferation and induced apoptosis as detected by annexin V staining. Downregulation of SIRT1 mRNA expression in Jurkat cells was observed even when the amount of methanol extract was 10 μg/mL.
Conclusion: Methanol extract of Myristica fragrans Houtt induced apoptosis of Jurkat leukemia T cell line in a mechanisms involving SIRT1 mRNA downregulation.

Keywords: Myristica fragrans, Apoptosis, SIRT1, Jurkat