एला

• Botanical Name: Elettaria cardamomum
• Family: Zingiberaceae
• Synonyms: True Cardamom, Small Cardamom, Queen of Spices
• Vernacular Name: Commonly known as “Choti Ilaichi” in Hindi, “Green Cardamom” in English, and “Elakkai” in Tamil.
• Classification: A perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Zingiberaceae family.
• Habitat: Native to the Western Ghats of India, it thrives in tropical rainforests with high humidity and well-drained soils. It is also cultivated in other tropical regions like Sri Lanka and Guatemala.
• Morphology: A clump-forming plant that grows up to 2–4 meters in height. It has long, lance-shaped leaves and small, pale green flowers with purple veins. The fruits are small, green, triangular pods containing aromatic seeds.
• Useful Parts: Seeds, pods, and essential oil extracted from seeds.
• Chemical Composition: Contains essential oils (cineole, terpinene, limonene), flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. The seeds are rich in volatile oils that give cardamom its characteristic aroma and flavor.
• Pharmacological Action: Known for its carminative, digestive, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. It is used in treating indigestion, bad breath, and respiratory disorders. It also has potential anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects.
• Formulation: Used in Ayurvedic preparations like Eladi Churna and herbal teas. It is also widely used as a spice in culinary dishes and as a flavoring agent in beverages and desserts.

Rasa: Katu , Madhura

Guna: Laghu , Ruksha

Virya: Sheeta

Vipaka: Madhura