Fructus Amomi Rotundus

Alias White Cardamom, Round Cardamom, Proto-Cardamom, Buttonmill, Purple Cardamom, Decapod.

(E)Jave Amonum Fruit

Plant Form Perennial herb. Leaves lanceolate, apically with a long caudate tip, glabrous on both surfaces except for ciliate hairs; petioles absent. Ligule sparsely hirsute at first, then glabrescent and only sparsely ciliate; mouth of leaf sheath glabrous; spikes terete; bracts ovate-oblong; calyx tube hairy; corolla white or slightly yellowish; labellum elliptic, slightly concave, yellowish, midvein with purplish reddish orange band; stamens 1; ovary villous. Fl. 2-5, fr. 6-8. Born in shady and moist places in mountain ravines, mostly cultivated in the shade in China. Cultivated in Hainan, Yunnan, and Guangxi. Native to Indonesia.

Traits The fruit is globose, 0.8-1.2 cm in diameter; the surface is yellowish-white to light yellowish-brown, with 3 deep longitudinal grooves, a raised stigmatic base at the tip, and a concave petiole scar at the base, with light brown tomentum at both ends. The pericarp is easily split longitudinally and divided into 3 cells, each containing about 10 seeds. The seeds are irregularly polyhedral, slightly elevated on the back, 3-4mm in diameter, with a dark brown surface and wrinkles. It is aromatic, with a pungent and cool flavor slightly resembling camphor.

There are three kinds of flavorings with the name "cardamom". Cardamom and nutmeg are native, respectively, is the seed of two ginger plants, but the nutmeg is imported, native to Southeast Asia, is the nut of evergreen trees. Cardamom, also known as cardamom, smell bitter aroma, taste pungent and slightly bitter, cooking can remove the odor, increase the pungent aroma, commonly used in brine as well as hot pot, etc.; Grass nutmeg, but also a kind of spice seasoning, can be removed from the stinky taste, strange taste, for the dishes to enhance the aroma. In cooking can be used with cardamom or substitute.

Source of this product for the ginger plant Amomum kravanh Pierre ex Gagnep. or Javanese cardamom Amomum compactum Soland ex Maton dry mature fruit. It is divided into "original cardamom" and "Indonesian cardamom" according to its origin.

Method of preparation: Remove impurities. Pounded when used.

Traits Original cardamom: spherical, diameter 1. 2 ~ 1. 8cm. surface yellowish white to yellowish brown, there are 3 deep longitudinal grooves, the tip of the protruding stigma, the base of the concave fruit stalk scar, both ends with light brown hairs. The pericarp is light, brittle, easy to split longitudinally, divided into 3 chambers, each chamber contains about 10 seeds; the seeds are irregularly polyhedral, slightly elevated on the back, 3-4mm in diameter, dark brown surface, wrinkled, and covered with residual aril. Aromatic, pungent taste slightly like camphor.

Indonesian cardamom: a slightly smaller. Surface yellow-white, some slightly purple-brown, thin pericarp, seed thin. Weak odor.

Identification: Take the volatile oil under [Content Determination] as a test solution, and take eucalyptus oil extract control solution (if necessary, respectively, can be diluted with ethanol), according to the thin-layer chromatography (Appendix VI B), absorb 10μl of each of the above two solutions, respectively, point in the same silica gel G thin-layer plate, benzene - ethyl acetate (19:1) as the unfolding agent, unfold, remove, dry, and then remove from the plate. Expand, remove, dry, spray with 5% vanillin sulfate solution, heat at 105℃ until the spots show clear color, and inspect immediately. In the chromatogram of the test article, the spots of the same color are shown in the corresponding position with the chromatogram of the control article.

Content Determination

Take cardamom kernel appropriate amount, pounded and weighed 30-50g, according to the volatile oil determination method (Appendix X D).

The original cardamom kernel should not contain less than 5.0% volatile oil (ml/g); Indonesian cardamom kernel should not contain less than 4.0% (ml/g).

These properties are pungent, warm. Attributed to the lung, spleen and stomach meridians.

Functions and Indications: Resolving dampness and eliminating lumps, promoting qi and warming the middle, appetizing and eliminating food. It is used in treating dampness and turbidity obstruction in the middle of the body, not thinking of food, the beginning of dampness and warmth, stuffiness in the chest without hunger, cold and dampness vomiting, distension and pain in the chest and abdomen, and the accumulation of food without elimination.

Dosage 3~6g, into the decoction should be after the next.

Store tightly closed, in a cool and dry place, prevent moth.

Remarks (1) For dampness blocking qi stagnation, it can be used together with Cangzhu, Hanxia and Chenpi. For stagnation of qi and chest congestion, it can be used with Houpu and Citrus aurantium. For the first signs of dampness and warmth, it can be used with Scutellaria baicalensis, Forsythia, Bamboo Leaf; for heavy dampness, it can be used with light seepage and diuresis of dampness, such as Slippery Stone, Coix Seed, Tong Cao. For treating stomach cold and vomiting, it is often used in combination with hemixia, patchouli and ginger. The treatment of children with stomach cold vomiting milk, can be matched with sand nuts, licorice *** research fine powder, often seepage in the mouth.

Excerpts from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia

Purple cardamom: also known as purple kow, purple cardamom, purple cardamom kow, ten open cardamom. For the ginger plant cardamom dry fruit. One of the large and full, thin shell without empty skin, the seed coat is dark brown or gray-brown, known as purple cardamom. The best quality. Maple cardamom: also maple kowtow, cardamom, triangular cardamom, triangular kowtow, Indian cardamom, Indian kowtow. For the ginger plant cardamom dry fruit. One of the small, thin and deflated, thicker skin, known as the maple nutmeg. Quality is poor. White nutmeg: also known as cardamom, white knock, cardamom, bean knock, round cardamom, round bean knock, original cardamom, original bean knock. For the product with the shell. The above are large, full of grains, shell intact, strong aroma is preferred. Cardamom nut: also known as knocking nut, cardamom ball, knocking ball, white cardamom nut, white knocking nut, white cardamom nut, bean knocking nut. For the product shelled seed mass. Cardamom rice, also known as knocking rice. Seed clusters will be opened, a single seed called "cardamom rice". Cardamom shells: also known as knocking shells, white cardamom shells, white knocking shells, white nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells, nutmeg shells. For the shell of the fruit of this product. Cardamom: for the ginger plant cardamom Elettaria cardamomum White et Maton dried fruit. Mainly produced in India, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and other countries. This variety is of inferior quality and is not a genuine cardamom.

And anciently known as "cardamom" refers to the woman's age (13 or 14 years old)