FOREVER cardamom

There are two main types of cardamom:
Small green cardamom (Eletteria cardamom)
Large red/black cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb)

Elettaria cardamom  Amomum subulatum

                        Green Cardamom                   Black Cardamom       

Small green cardamom

It is the most common type  and also more popular than black cardamom. It constitutes one of the most important and valued spices of the world. It is also second most important national spice of India, known as "Queen of Spices"

Morphology:

Cardamom is a perennial herb with thick, fleshy rhizomes or underground stems shooting leafy roots and with leafy stems. It has  very large leaves, white or pale green three celled flowers, many seeded pale green to yellow fruits and triangular brownish black seeds.

Ayurvedic Pharmacodynamic Properties:

Useful Parts: Fruits and seed

Chemical constituent:

Essential oil of seed contains terpineol 45%, mycene 27%, limonene 8%, menthone 6%, β-phellandrene 3%, 1,8-cineol 2%, Sabinene 2% and heptane 2%.

Medicinal Properties:

The drug is a powerful aromatic, stimulant, carminative, stomachic and diuretic. These properties are due to the essential oils contained in the seeds. It also has an appitizing, digestive, antispasmodic effect. It also increases intestinal secretions, aphrodisiac, cardiac tonic properties.

Medicinal uses:

1. Indigestion: It improves appetite and soothes the mucous membrane. It relieves gas and heartburn caused by garlic and onion. It is  also used in digestive ailments like anorexia, flatulence, distaste, halitosis and excessive thirst.

2. Mouth freshner: The aromatic flavor in cardamom is mouth freshning and  so it is used to remove foul smell.

3. Diuretic: It is an excellent diuretic and used for treatment of gonorrhea, cystitis, nephritis, burning micturation or urination and scanty urination.

4. Gargling with an infusion made of  cardamom and cinnamon  is used  to treat pharyngitis, sore throat, relax uvula and  to improve hoarseness  of voice during the infective stage of influenza.

5. Impontency: It is useful in treating erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. Though excessive use of cardamom  may  also lead to impotency.

6. Other uses: It is also used in Hiccups, depression, cough, asthma, relieve the burning sensations in skin diseases and fevers.

7. It is used for flavoring curries, cakes, bread and  other culinary preparations. The essentail oil in cardamom is used to prepare  perfumes, in  flavoring liquors and bitters, in the preparation of tincture and as  a stimulant.

Dose: 250- 500mg  in powder form

Important formulation: Sitopaladi churna, Avipattikara churna, Eladi churna.

Home remedies :

- Its powdered seed mixed with a tablespoon of banana leaf and amla juice taken thrice a day, will serve as an excellent diuretic.

- Powdered seeds of cardamom are boiled in water with tea. It gives a very pleasing aroma to the tea. This can be used as a remedy in the treatment of depression and headache caused by indigestion.

- An infusion made by boiling a couple of pounded whole cardamoms in a cup of water along with 5 leaves of mint is useful in relieving hiccups.

- A pinch of powdered cardamom seeds boiled in milk and sweetened with honey every night would yield excellent results in impotency.

Black Cardamom

It is inferior to green cardamom in its properties but  superior for preparing spicy and rustic dishes. It is used as a cheap substitute of green cardamom. Its seed pods have a strong, smoky, camphor-like flavor.

 

Sanskrit name	:	Vrihat Ela, Sthool Ela, Sthulaila, Bhadraila,
English name	:	Greater cardamom
Hindi name	:	Badi elaichi
Latin name	:	Amomum subulatum
Family	:	Zingiberaceae

Morphology:

An herb with leafy stem upto 90-100cm in height; oblong and lanceolate leaves  bright green, glabrous on both surfaces; Flowers  are white , globose ,with shortly peduncled spikes, bracts reddish brown, lips ovate-cuneate, emarginate, yellowish white, filament very short, anther crest small, truncate, entire; Seeds are many in number , held together by viscid sugary pulp.

Ayurvedic Pharmacodynamic Properties:

Rasa	:	Tikta(Bitter), Katu(Pungent)
Guna	:	Laghu(Light)
Vipaka	:	Katu(Pungent)
Virya	:	Ushna(Hot)
Doshakarma	:	Balances Vata and Kapha,  increases Pitta

Useful Part:  Seeds

Chemical constituents:

The seeds contain essential oil - the major constituent is cineol. Limonene, terpinene, terpineol, terpinyl acetate, sabinene all  are present in small amount

Medicinal properties:

It is digestive, aromatic, carminative, stimulant, purgative, diuretic,  helps to regulate pitta srava [bile secretion, antidote [snake bite, scorpion venom]

Medicinal uses:

It is used in vitiated condition of Kapha and Vata, in oral cavity disorders, skin disorders, tastelessness, loss of appetite, indigestion, hyperacidity, heart related problems, inflammation, cough and mucous in chest region, dysurea, fever, poisoning.

Dose:0.5-1g  in powder form

Important formulation:

Summary:

It is indigenous to Southern India.  Kerala state is the main producer.   Botanical name of cardamom is Eletteria cardamomum and it belongs to the family Zingiberaceae.  The economic part is the dried capsules (fruits) with seeds.  The capsules contain carbohydrates, protein, volatile oil, crude fibre, calcium, phosphorus and iron.  Seeds carry volatile oil with typical aroma and flavour.  The main constituents of this oil are cineol, terpineol terpinene, limonene, sabinene, and terpineol.  Cardamom also possesses medicinal properties.  It is effective in curing bad breath, oral disorders, hiccups, digestive problems, depression, genital problems, impotency, urinary disorders etc.  The essential oil obtained from this spice is utilised as a stimulant, in perfumery, in traditional medicines, for pharmaceutical purposes etc.  Cardamom is widely utilised all over the world for the preparation of myriad dishes like sweets, ice creams, biscuits and other bakery products, non-vegetarian dishes etc.