Sometimes referred to as the "queen of spices" and widely used in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines, cardamom also is said to possess medicinal properties. The spice, derived from pods of the Elettaria cardamomum plant, originated on the Indian subcontinent but is now cultivated in tropical regions throughout the world. Centuries of anecdotal evidence, backed up by more recent scientific studies, attest to the health benefits of this widely used spice. Consult with your doctor before beginning any regimen of self-treatment.
Promotes Healthy Digestion
Herbalists and practitioners of traditional Indian medicine have long valued cardamom for its ability to facilitate digestion and eliminate a wide array of common gastrointestinal problems. Kathleen Brown and Jeanine Pollak, authors of "Herbal Teas: 101 Nourishing Blends for Daily Health and Vitality," recommend a tea brewed from cardamom seeds to promote healthy digestion. They claim that cardamom tea relieves flatulence and eases bowel spasms and other symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders. To make the tea, bruise 1 tbsp. cardamom seeds with a mortar and pestle and then steep the cardamom in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. Allow it to cool, but drink it sparingly because the tea has a strong flavor.
Indian medical researchers studied the effects of cardamom in protecting and healing the delicate tissues lining the stomachs of laboratory rats. Scientists first induced ulcerative lesions in test animals with aspirin, ethanol and pylorous ligature. In their findings, published in the Jan. 16, 2006, issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, researchers reported that treatment with an extract of cardamom essential oil proved more effective in treating gastric ulcers caused by aspirin and ethanol than ranitidine, a medication widely prescribed for the treatment of ulcers. Cardamom proved far less effective in treating ulcers induced by pylorous ligature.
Inhibits Clot Formation
In a finding that holds potential for the prevention of clots that cause heart attacks, strokes and peripheral artery disease, Indian researchers say that an aqueous extract of cardamom inhibited human platelet aggregation or clumping. Scientists obtained platelet-rich plasma and platelet membranes from the blood of healthy volunteers. Platelets and platelet membranes treated with the cardamom extract showed significant resistance to aggregation and lipid peroxidation, respectively, researchers say. Their findings were published in the May 2005 issue of Phytotherapy Research.
Antimicrobial Properties
In "Chemistry of Spices," authors V.A. Parthasarathy, B. Chempakam and T. John Zachariah say that cardamom has an inhibitory effect on a number of disease-causing microorganisms. They cite a 2005 study, conducted by researchers at Turkey's Yuzuncu Yil University, in which an extract of cardamom was tested against a variety of microorganisms. They found that the herb inhibited the growth and spread of Mycobacterium smegmatis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterococcus faecalis, Micrococcus luteus and Candida albicans, all of which can cause serious health problems. Researchers reported, however, that cardamom appeared to have no inhibitory effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, another microbe against which it was tested.
References
- "Herbal Teas: 101 Nourishing Blends for Daily Health and Vitality"; Kathleen Brown and Jeanine Pollak; 1999
- "Journal of Ethnopharmacology"; Gastroprotective Effect of Cardamom, Elettaria Cardamomum Maton. Fruits in Rats; A. Jamal et al.; January 16, 2006
- "Phytotherapy Research"; Cardamom Extract as Inhibitor of Human Platelet Aggregation; W.J. Suneetha and T.P. Krishnakantha; May 2005
- "Chemistry of Spices"; V.A. Parthasarathy, B. Chempakam and T. John Zachariah; 2008
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