The side effects of Amomum tsao-ko (cardamom, cao guo (草果)

Traditional Chinese Medicine

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Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemaire (cardamom,
cao guo (草果), bai dou kou (白豆蔻; 草豆蔻); Fructus
Amomi Tsao-ko; Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lem.

Related Names: Amomum cardamomum Linn.(bai dou kou 白豆蔻); Amomum
costatum; Roxb.(dou kou; 豆蔻); Amomum kravanh Pierre ex Gagnep and Amomum
compacturn Soland et Maton (Indonesian bai dou kou)﹐cao dou kou 草豆叩﹐cao kou
ren (草蔻仁﹐草叩仁)﹐cao kou (草蔻)。

Amomum tsa-ko can be found in South East Asia. Traditionally, it is used to treat
stomach pain, flatulence, belching, indigestion vomiting, malarial disorders, and
drunkenness from alcohol consumption.

Amomum tsa-ko contains1,8-Cineole (1，8-桉油素), a-pinene (a--蒎烯) and β-pinene (β-
蒎烯) and geraniol (香葉醇). It is believed that a-pinene and β-pinene expells phlegm
and inhibits cough. 1,8-Cineole may have calming, pain relieving and asthma
inhibiting effects. β-pinenean has strong antibiotic and anti-inflammation effects;
geraniol has strong antibiotic and antifungal effects.

What are the adverse side effects or toxic effects of Amomum tsa-ko?

It is believed that geraniol is toxic at high doses. The lethal dosage for rat is 4.9 g/
kg, while, the lethal injection dosage for rabbit was 50mg/kg. Prolonged use of
smoked cao guo can be carcinogenic.

What is its potential health benefits (scientific support)?

Moon SS and co-workers from Kongju National University found a methanol extract,
containing bicyclic nonane isotsaokoin, of Amomum tsao-ko possessed of antifungal
activity against Trycophyton mentagrophytes. [1]

Lee KY and co-workers from Seoul National University, Korea isolated 13 compounds
from a methanolic extract of the fruits of AMOMUM TSAO-KO (Zingiberaceae) and all
these compounds significantly inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide
production in BV2 microglial cells at concentrations ranging from 1 microM to 100
microM. [2]

Researchers from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology found the polar
components of tsao-ko might be able to lower plasma glucose. [3]

Reference:

[1] Moon SS, Lee JY, Cho SC. Isotsaokoin, an antifungal agent from Amomum tsao-
ko. J Nat Prod. 2004 May;67(5):889-91. [2] Lee KY, Kim SH, Sung SH, Kim YC.
Inhibitory constituents of lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production in BV2
microglia isolated from Amomum tsao-ko. Planta Med. 2008 Jun;74(8):867-9. Epub
2008 Jun 3. [3] Yu L, Shirai N, Suzuki H, Hosono T, Nakajima Y, Kajiwara M, Takatori K.
Effect of Lipid Extracted from Tsao-ko (Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemaire) on
Digestive Enzyme Activity, Antioxidant Activity, Plasma and Liver Lipids, and Blood
Glucose Levels of Mice. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2008 Oct;54(5):378-83. [4] http:
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