THE QUEEN OF SPICES AND AYURVEDA: A BRIEF REVIEW

Abstract

Small cardamom, well known as the ‘queen of spices’, belongs to the family Zingiberaceae, order Scitaminae is a rich spice obtained from the seeds of a perennial plant, Elettaria cardamomum Maton., in Ayurveda which is known as “ela”. Ela is known for its medicinal value from ancient times. It had also been mentioned in Greek, Egyptian and Christian scripts. In India, cardamom production is mainly concentrated in the high ranges of Idukki district, Kerala state and certain pockets of the states of Karnataka and Tamilnadu. Cardamom possesses katu (pungent) rasa (taste) as it`s main rasa followed by madhura (sweet) anurasa (taste followed by main taste). Ela pacifies all the three dosha`s i.e. vata, pitta and kapha. Cardamom owes it`s aroma due to presence of volatile oil in its seeds and capsule. Cardamom is used from ancient times with betel leaves for chewing purpose due to it`s mouth purifier property. Seeds are aromatic, cooling, stimulant, carminative, digestive, stomachic, diuretic, cardiotonic, alexiteric, and expectorant. They are useful in anorexia, dyspepsia, asthma, bronchitis, dysuria, renal and vesicle calculi, halitosis, cardiac disorders, hyperdipsia, burning sensation, debility and defects of vision. In Ayurveda, Ela is used for the treatment of various diseases. Cardamom is used in a number of classical Ayurvedic medicines like eladi vati and sitopaladi churna. Badi elaichi (Amomum subualatum Roxb.), in its action and properties, is in many ways different from that of cardamom. This article aims at reviewing detailed Ayurveda and modern perspective of Ela i.e. choti elaichi (Elettaria cardamomum Maton.)