Cardamom
(Elettaria cardamomum Maton, family; Scitaminaceae) is a perennial herb,
indigenous to India, Pakistan, Burma and Sri Lanka. In addition to its wide use
for culinary purpose, cardamom has folkloric repute as carminative, stomachic,
diuretic, abortifacient, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and is considered
useful in treatment of constipation, colic, diarrhea, dyspepsia, vomiting,
headache, epilepsy and cardiovascular diseases.
Cardamom
is traditionally used in various gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and neuronal
disorders. In 2008, a study was conducted to rationalize cardamom use in
constipation, colic, diarrhea, and hypertension. The results were published in Journal
of Ethnopharmacology.
Cardamom
crude extract (Ec. Cr) was studied using in vitro and in vivo techniques. Ec. Cr
caused atropine-sensitive stimulatory effect in isolated guinea-pig ileum at
3-10 mg/ml. In rabbit jejunum preparations, Ec. Cr relaxed spontaneous and K+
(80 mm)-induced, like verapamil. Ec. Cr (3-100mg/kg) induced fall in the
arterial blood pressure (BP) of anaesthetized rats.
In
endothelium-intact rat aorta, Ec. Cr relaxed phenylephrine-induced
contractions, and also inhibited K+ contractions. In guinea-pig atria, Ec. Cr
exhibited a cardio-depressant effect.
Ec.
Cr (1-10mg/kg) produced diuresis in rats, accompanied by a saluretic effect (a
drug that promotes excretion of salt in the urine).
It
enhanced pentobarbital-induced sleeping time in mice. Bio-assay directed
fractionation revealed the separation of spasm genic (causing contraction of
smooth muscle) and spasmolytic (relieving spasm of smooth muscle) components in
the aqueous and organic fractions respectively.
These
results indicate that cardamom exhibits gut excitatory and inhibitory effects
mediated through cholinergic and Ca++ antagonist mechanisms respectively and
lowers blood pressure via combination of both pathways. The diuretic and
sedative effects may offer added value in its use in hypertension and epilepsy.
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Gilani, A.H., Jabeen, Q., Khan, A.U., & Shah, A.J. (2008). Gut modulatory, blood
pressure lowering, diuretic and sedative activities of cardamom. Journal of
Ethnopharmacology, 115, 463–472. Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.871.7812&rep=rep1&type=pdf
