Antiulcerogenic activity of <i style="">Elettaria cardamomum </i>Maton. and <i style="">Amomum subulatum </i>Roxb. seeds

Abstract

Small cardamom known as <i style="">'Heel Khurd’ </i>(fruits of <i style="">Elettaria cardamomum</i> Maton.) and large cardamom <i style="">'Heel Kalan’ </i>(fruits of <i style="">Amomum subulatum </i>Roxb.) are used in Unani System of Medicine to treat gastrointestinal disorders. These seeds are used as stomachic (<i style="">Muqavvi-e-Meda</i>), desiccant (<i style="">Mujaffif</i>), resolvent (<i style="">Muhallil</i>), digestive (<i style="">Hazim</i>) carminative (<i style="">Kasir-e-Riyah</i>), etc. Their essential oils and petroleum ether soluble fractions were studied in rats for their ability to inhibit gastric lesions induced by aspirin and ethanol, and results were compared. Both the fractions of drugs inhibited gastric lesions significantly. Fractions of small cardamom were found to be better than large cardamom.