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| Latin Names |
English Name |
Sanskrit Names |
Elettaria cardamomum
Maton (Zingiberaceae)
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Cardamom,
Lesser Cardamom |
Ela |
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| History |
It was used by Hindus
in their Shradh (ceremony for paying respect to a recently deceased
person), being placed under and on the pinda. The description of the
herb's medicinal properties by arab writers are the similar to their
Indian counterparts, and they called it "Kadim-el-bint"
in Arabic. Mr. J.J. Wood suggested that E.prostrata would be
found eventually of greater service than taraxacum in hepatic derangements.
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| Distribution |
E. cardamomum
is a native of the moist evergreen forests of south India, growing
wild in the Western Ghats, between 2,500 and 5,000 ft. It is found
wherever the overhead canopy has been thinned by natural in causes
or by human action. It is also found along stream banks, where the
overhead shade is less dense. Cardamom occurs wild in Ceylon also,
chiefly in the Ratnapura and Lunugala districts, and has been reported
in Burma, Cochin-China and Malaya Archipelago.
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| Habit |
It is a tall, herbaceous
perennial herb with branching subterranean rootstock, from which arise
a number of upright leafy shoots, bearing alternate, elliptical or
lanceolate sheathing leaves. The flowers are borne in panicles, arising
from the base of vegetative shoots. The flowers are bisexual but self-sterile,
and open in succession from the base towards the tip. Fruits are trilocular
capsules, fusifrom to oviod, pale green to yellow in colour, containing
15-20 hard, brownish black, angled and rugose seeds, covered by a
thin mucilaginous membrane.
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| Phytochemistry |
Cardamom owes its
aroma and therapeutic properties to the volatile oil present in the
seeds (2 to 8%). The important constituent of cardamom is the volatile
oil (6-10%) for which it is valued as a spice and flavouring material.
Cardamom oil is rich in oxygenated compounds and poor in terpene hydrocarbons.
The oil contains about 70 compounds mostly mono-terpenoids. The major
components are 1,8-cineole and terpinyl acetate. 1,8-cineole gives
a harsh `eucalyptol' smell to the oil if present in high proportion.
On the other hand, the oil rich in esters like terpinyl acetate and
linalyl acetate are known to give `flowery' smell.
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| Pharmacology |
Volatile
components of cardamom exhibit antimicrobial activity. Oil has anti-aflatoxin
substances. It has inhibitory properties against aflatoxins synthesis
and caused 90% drop in aflatoxin elaboration. Thus, oil can be successfully
utilized against the danger of aflatoxin on food commodities [Kubo
et al, J Agric Food Chem, 1991, 39, 1984; Ranjan et al, Geobios, 1992,
19(1), 39]. Terpineol and acetyl terpineol, the active principles
of cardamom seeds showed greater penetration enhancing capacities
than Azone which was used as a comparative penetration enhancer for
the diffusion of prednisolone through mouse skin in vitro (Yamahara
et al, Chem Pharm Bull, 1989, 37, 855). Water and methanol extracts
of cardamom caused a significant decrease in gastric secretion after
hours of treatment. The effect of water extract on gastric secretion
is very similar to that of cimetidine, with a significant decrease
in acid output. The effect of methanol extract is primarily observed
as decreased pepsin output (Sakai et al, Chem Pharm ull, 1989, 37,
215). Cardamom prevents bad breath. It is used as an additive in iron-enriched
foods to mask the unpleasant taste of heme. It is also used in the
preparation of deodorizing oral compositions containing copper compounds.
The oral composition does not give unpleasant astringent feeling (Chem
Abstr, 1989, 111, 160021, 213625; 1990, 112, 11809).
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| Toxicology |
No adverse effect
was reported on use of the volatile as medicine.
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| Indications |
Cardamom is used
as a spice and masticatory, and in medicine. Cardamom seeds have a
pleasant aroma and characteristic, warm, slightly pungent taste. It
is used for flavouring curries, cakes, bread and for other culinary
purposes. It is also used for flavouring liquors. In the Middle East
countries, cardamom is used for flavouring coffee. In medicine, it
is used as an adjuvant to carminative drugs. It is official in the
British and U.S. pharmacopoeias and used as an aromatic stimulant,
carminative and flavouring agent. Powdered cardamom mixed with ginger,
cloves and caraway is a good stomachic useful in atonic dyspepsia.
In herbal medicine, cardamoms are chewed slowly to sweeten the breath,
as aphrodisiac, to sooth digestion, stimulate appetite, used against
flatulance, colics and disorders of body, often combined with purgatives
to offset griping. They are used sometimes in perfumery and for fumigating
purposes. They are also used to flavour liqueurs and bitters.
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| Product
Range |
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Abana (HeartCare),
Bonnisan, Geriforte (GericCare / StressCare), Koflet lozenge (CoughCare
lozenge), Lukol, Mentat (MindCare), Renalka, V-Gel (FemCare Gel),
Anxocare, Digyton, Geriforte Aqua, Geriforte
Vet, Chyavanaprasha.
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