White cardamom is the dried ripe fruit of the plant Amomum kravanh from the ginger family. It has a pungent and aromatic scent and can be used both as a medicinal herb and as a seasoning. It is mainly produced in Vietnam, Thailand, and other regions, and is also cultivated in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, and other areas of China. The fruits are harvested when they turn yellow-green and have not yet split open, then dried in the sun. When used, the fruit peel is removed or the whole fruit is crushed for use.
I. The Efficacy of White Cardamom:
White cardamom tastes pungent, warm. It belongs to the lung, spleen, and stomach meridians. Its effects canResolving dampness and promoting qi flow, warming the middle and stopping vomiting, stimulating appetite and promoting digestionIts effect of warming the middle and stopping vomiting is similar to that of Amomum villosum, but it is weaker and less practical than Amomum villosum.
Commonly used inDampness obstructing qi flow, disharmony of the spleen and stomach, abdominal distension and fullness, loss of appetite, early stage of damp-warm disease, chest tightness without hunger, stomach cold with vomitingtreatment of conditions such as
Summary of Masterpieces by Renowned Authors:
Bie Lu: "Warms the middle, treats heart and abdominal pain, vomiting, and eliminates bad breath."
"Kai Bao Ben Cao": "It primarily treats accumulated cold qi, stops vomiting and regurgitation, and promotes digestion and the downward movement of qi."
Ben Cao Tong Xuan: "The efficacy of white cardamom lies entirely in its aromatic qi. Once stir-fried, its potency diminishes. When used in decoctions, it should be finely ground and taken with boiling water for optimal effect."
"Compendium of Materia Medica": "Treats miasmic malaria and cold malaria, summer-heat damage with vomiting, diarrhea, and dysentery, dysphagia and regurgitation, epigastric fullness and acid regurgitation, phlegm-fluid retention and accumulation, morning sickness and leukorrhea in women, eliminates cold and dries dampness, relieves stagnation and breaks qi, neutralizes fish and meat toxins."
Jade Carving's Explanation of Medicinals: "White cardamom clears and descends the lung and stomach, most effectively expels turbid stagnation above the diaphragm, and extremely treats nausea and retching. Chewing it brings a cool and clearing sensation, and any depression and vexation in the lung and viscera are promptly relieved. It carries the qi of autumn metal; ancient formulas describe it as greatly hot, but this is quite inaccurate."
"Compendium of Materia Medica": Circulates through the triple energizer, warms the spleen and stomach, and serves as the fundamental herb for the lung system. Disperses stagnant qi, resolves alcohol accumulation, eliminates cold and dampness, aids digestion, and relieves distension. Treats spleen deficiency malaria, cold-induced abdominal pain, vomiting and regurgitation, white eye membrane opacities, and red vessels in the canthus of the sun meridian.
II. Compatibility and Application of Amomum kravanh:
1. Used for syndromes of dampness obstructing the middle jiao and qi stagnation in the spleen and stomach. White cardamom is pungent, warm, and aromatic, capable of transforming dampness and moving qi, with effects similar to sand ginger but slightly weaker. It is often combined with magnolia bark, atractylodes, and dried tangerine peel to treat dampness obstruction and qi stagnation, disharmony of the spleen and stomach, abdominal distension and fullness, and poor appetite. If combined with astragalus, atractylodes, and ginseng, it isWhite Cardamom Pill。
White cardamom has a relatively mild warm and drying nature, so it can also be used in the early stages of damp-warm disorders, presenting with chest tightness, lack of appetite, and a greasy, turbid tongue coating. It is often combined with coix seed, apricot kernel, talc, and bamboo leaf, namelySanren Decoction。
If treating cases with prominent damp-heat, it is often combined with Scutellaria baicalensis, talc, Poria cocos peel, and Tetrapanax papyriferus, namelyHuangqin Huashi Decoction。
2. For vomiting due to stomach cold. White cardamom has the effect of warming the middle and stopping vomiting, and is good at treating vomiting due to stomach cold. It can be used alone by grinding into powder for oral administration, and is often combined with herbs that warm the stomach and stop vomiting, such as agastache, pinellia, and ginger.
For treating infantile stomach cold with vomiting of milk, white cardamom can be combined with sand ginger and licorice, finely ground together, and frequently applied in the mouth.
III. Usage and Dosage of Amomum kravanh:
White cardamom is often used in decoctions, as well as in pills and powders, and can also be used as a cooking seasoning. The common dosage in decoctions ranges from a few grams to over ten grams.
Its aroma is fragrant, and it should be added later when decocting.
IV Application Notes of White Cardamom
White cardamom is pungent and warm, promoting dispersion, thereforeUse with caution in cases of yin deficiency and blood dryness。
Wang Ang said: "It is contraindicated for those with excessive fire in the lung and stomach and those with qi deficiency."
