cardamom
Elettaria cardamomum · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (770 studies) · ★★★★★
Cardamom, scientifically known as Elettaria cardamomum, is a highly aromatic spice and medicinal plant native to the tropical forests of India. Renowned for its distinctive flavor, it serves various therapeutic purposes, including aiding digestion, relieving respiratory issues, and acting as a potent antioxidant within traditional Ayurvedic and holistic medicine.
Names
Common Names
- Cardamom
- Cardamon
- Green Cardamom
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Cardamomo
- Cardamón
- Cardamon
- Cardamomo
German:
- Grüner Kardamom
- Kardamom
French:
- Cardamome verte
- Cardamome aromatique
- Cardamone
- Cardamome
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Elettaria cardamomumSynonyms
- Cardamomum officinale
- Alpinia cardamomum
- Zingiber minus
- Amomum ensal
- Amomum cardamomum
- Matonia cardamomum
- Amomum uncinatum
- Cardamomum malabaricum
- Zingiber cardamomum
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Zingiberales, it is a member of the Zingiberaceae family. Finally, its specific taxonomic classification is placed within the genus Elettaria.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Zingiberales | WCVP |
| Family | Zingiberaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Elettaria | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several tropical regions. Within the Indian Subcontinent, it is naturally found in both India and Bangladesh. Its presence extends into the Indo-China region, specifically inhabiting the landscapes of Cambodia and Thailand. Additionally, the species can be found in the Western Indian Ocean on the island of Réunion. Together, these locations highlight the wide range of environments where the species thrives.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Western Indian Ocean | Réunion | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Cambodia | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Thailand | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
| Malesia | Lesser Sunda Is. | WCVP |
| Central America | Costa Rica | WCVP |
| Caribbean | Trinidad-Tobago | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Elettaria cardamomum, commonly known as cardamom, utilizes various components for its medicinal and aromatic properties. The most economically significant part consists of the small, dark, aromatic seeds contained within the pods, which are widely used for their digestive and carminative benefits. The plant also produces delicate, white, bell-shaped flowers that play a vital role in its reproductive cycle. Furthermore, the plant is a rich source of essential oil, which is extracted from the seeds and contains the complex volatile compounds responsible for its intense fragrance and potent therapeutic effects.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| seed | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| flower | Journal of medicinally active plants (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Elettaria cardamomum has 145 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 1,8-Cineole, Borneol, LIMONENE, Linalool, (+)-Limonene.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| 1,8-Cineole | 3 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Borneol | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| LIMONENE | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Linalool | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (+)-Limonene | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (+)-alpha-Terpineol | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (1R,4R)-(+)-CAMPHOR | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1,4-Cineole | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 4-hydroxy benzoic acid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ABA | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
1,8-Cineole
- Dr. Duke
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
- Journal of oleo science
Borneol
- Dr. Duke
- Biomolecules
LIMONENE
- Dr. Duke
- Biomolecules
Linalool
- Dr. Duke
- Biomolecules
(+)-Limonene
- Dr. Duke
(+)-alpha-Terpineol
- Dr. Duke
(1R,4R)-(+)-CAMPHOR
- Journal of oleo science
1,4-Cineole
- Dr. Duke
4-hydroxy benzoic acid
- Dr. Duke
ABA
- Frontiers in plant science
Activities
Elettaria cardamomum has 511 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Androgenic, Anticancer.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Androgenic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifeedant | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Estrogenic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-Chronotropic | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-Inotropic | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Elettaria cardamomum has 24 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include COPD, COVID-19, E. coli, Fungal infections, NAFLD.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| COPD | Tanaffos (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| COVID-19 | Infection and drug resistance (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| E. coli | AMB Express (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Fungal infections | Life (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| NAFLD | Trials (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| asthma | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| atopic dermatitis | Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| blood pressure | Blood pressure (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | Biomolecules (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cardiac disorders | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| essential oil | Life (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Essential Oil | Life (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| alcohol extracts | African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aqueous extracts | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| essential oils | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethanolic extract | European review for medical and pharmacological sciences (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ether extracts | Journal of oleo science (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| headspace gases | Journal of oleo science (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| seeds | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| steam distillates | Journal of oleo science (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |