The efficacy of white cardamom

White cardamom is a relatively unique plant in the ginger family. Its growing environment is quite special and it needs to grow in a humid place. The same is true for some of the foods and fruits nowadays. They are only available in a certain environment or in a certain season. However, we all know that rare things are valuable, so you can imagine that the nutritional value of these foods or fruits must be very high.

White cardamom is no exception. It is a plant that can be used as a medicine, so it can be imagined that eating it must be of special help to the body. However, before eating it, you still have to understand some of its specific characteristics and properties, because it cannot be eaten with foods that are incompatible with it. So what are the effects and functions of white cardamom?

Pharmacological Action

1. Antibacterial effect: The 100% shell decoction of this product has an inhibitory effect on Shigella dysenteriae using the flat plate trenching method.

The 4-terpineol contained in this product has an antibacterial effect on Bacillcus thurin giensis in vitro.

2. Antiasthmatic effect: The α-terpineol contained in this product has a strong antiasthmatic effect. At a dose of 0.05ml/kg, its effect on guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle is stronger than that of mugwort oil. 4-Pinpineol also has a significant antiasthmatic effect.

3. It has aromatic stomachic and carminative effects: Cardamom oil is very unstable. Even if it is well stored, it often loses its unique aroma. It can usually be made into aromatic tinctures or spirits. The seeds should be ground before use. They have good aromatic stomachic effects, can promote gastric juice secretion, stimulate intestinal peristalsis, expel intestinal gas accumulation, and inhibit abnormal fermentation in the intestine.

4. Inhibitory effect: White cardamom decoction has low-concentration excitatory effect on the isolated intestine of guinea pigs; concentrations above 1% and saturated aqueous solutions of volatile oil have inhibitory effects.

5. Other effects: Its volatile oil can enhance the effect of small doses of streptomycin on experimental tuberculosis in guinea pigs.

Function and indications

Eliminate dampness and promote qi circulation; warm the middle and stop vomiting; stimulate appetite and aid digestion. It is mainly used for dampness blocking Qi stagnation; spleen and stomach disharmony; abdominal distension; loss of appetite; the initial stage of damp-heat; chest tightness without hunger; stomach cold and vomiting; indigestion.

Additional prescription

①To treat vomiting and pain caused by cold appetite: 3 grams of white cardamom seeds. Grind it into powder and drink with wine. (White Cardamom Powder from "Red Water Pearl")

②To treat cold stomach and vomiting after eating: pound three white cardamom seeds, sieve and grind them into fine powder, add a cup of good wine, slightly warm it and drink three or two cups. ("Emergency Prescription")

③ Treat disharmony of spleen and stomach, stop spleen diarrhea and dysentery: 2 liang of white cardamom (use kernels, half raw and half cooked), 0.5 jin of Citrus aurantium (remove the pulp, boil with starch water until soft, stir-fry with bran until fragrant), 2 liang of cinnamon (peeled), 2 liang of tangerine peel (remove the pulp, stir-fry, and cut into small pieces), 2 liang of Terminalia chebula (remove the core, half raw and half cooked), 2 liang of Chinese angelica (washed). Grind the above six ingredients into powder. Take one qian of it each time with one medium cup of water. Fry ginger and dates together until 70% done, and drink when slightly warm. If you want to make pills, use good dates, boil them in water, remove the skin and core, grind them finely, and make pills as big as tung nuts. Break the ginger into pieces, stir-fry until it turns black, add water and boil it, then take 15 pills. (Bai Dou Kou San from Bo Ji Fang)

④ Treat qi stagnation, spleen and stomach, and no appetite: 2 liang each of white cardamom seeds and amomum villosum, 1 liter of old rice (washed, briefly blanched, and fried in a pot), 0.5 liang of cloves (not exposed to fire). Grind the above ingredients into fine powder and make pills with the jujube meat as big as small red beans. Take 50, 70 to 100 pills each time, with rice water. (Taicang Pills from Wei's Family Prescriptions)

⑤Treat vomiting during pregnancy: 1 qian of white cardamom, 3 qian of bamboo shavings, 3 jujubes, and 1 qian of fresh ginger. Crush the ginger to extract the juice. Boil the first three medicines into a cup (about 50-60 ml), filter it, and drink it with ginger juice. (Wuhan Medical and Health (3): 288, 1959)

⑥To treat vomiting of milk and stomach cold in children: 14 white cardamom seeds, 14 Amomum villosum seeds, 2 qian of raw licorice, 2 qian of roasted licorice, grind into powder and put it into the child's mouth frequently. (The Effective Prescriptions of Worldly Doctors)

⑦ Treat vomiting and retching: white cardamom, patchouli, pinellia, tangerine peel, and ginger. Decoction in water. (White Cardamom Soup from Shen's Book of Life)

⑧Treat postpartum hiccups: half a liang each of white cardamom and cloves. Grind into powder, take one qian of it with peach kernel soup, and then take it again after a while. ("Qian Kun Business")

The effects and functions of white cardamom are introduced above. It can help us to play an antibacterial role, so we don’t have to worry about the presence of germs. Its aroma can also help us strengthen our stomach. Medicine made from white cardamom can effectively help us treat chest tightness and vomiting, and can also increase our appetite. White cardamom can also help digest food.