Family Name: Zingiberaceae ,English Name: Cardamom ,Sanskrit : Brihadela ,Hindi : Badi ilachi
Cardamom is an essential ingredient in Indian cooking and is used for preparations both spicy and sweet. It is found in eastern Himalayan regions, especially in Nepal,Bengal, Sikkim and Assam.
The cardamom plant is 3-4 feet tall and the leaves are 3-4 inch wide smooth on both sides. The flower bunches are very dense, 2-3 inch long and yellowish white. The fruit are 1 inch long and green. The seed have a fragrant sweet kernel.
It improves liver functions and stimulated the heart. It eliminates foul smell and cures fever, spleen enlargement, vomiting, ulcers and wounds. It is diuretic and antipyretic and antidote to poison.
It is widely used to treat following: