A team of researchers from the Faculty of Sciences of the National University of Singapore found that this species is a source of powerful bioactives that could be used in the treatment or prevention of this disease.
And team of researchers of the Faculty of Sciences of the National University of Singapore provided evidence of a cytotoxic effect on lung cancer cells of black Cardamom, used in Indian Ayurveda medicine to treat cancer and lung conditions, noting that this species is a “source of powerful bioactives that could be used in the treatment or prevention” of that disease, it was reported today.
In research published in the scientific journal Journal of Ethnopharmacology, The researchers detailed that the main problems associated with existing drugs against lung cancer are serious side effects and drug resistance.
This study is the first to report the association of black cardamom extract with the induction of oxidative stress in lung cancer cells, and compares the effects of the spice on lung, breast and liver cancer cells, as reported by the DPA agency.
The investigation provides verification of the uEthnomedical uses of black cardamom for its effect on conditions related to the lung.
Black cardamom is prescribed in Ayurveda medicine in powder form, where it is used for conditions such as cough, pulmonary congestion, pulmonary tuberculosis, and throat diseases.
Also, it has been used in medicinal formulas for cancer patients in some rural and tribal cultures of India.
In this studio, black cardamom fruits were pulverized and sequentially extracted with five types of solvents, including organic solvents and water.
This allowed the researchers to evaluate the best solvents to extract the most powerful active ingredients from the fruit.
Next, the cytotoxicity of different types of black cardamom extracts against various types of lung, liver and breast cancer cells was tested.
Of the three cell types, those of lung were the ones that survived the least when tested with black cardamom extracts.
“The study lays the groundwork to continue studying whether the consumption of black cardamom can prevent lung cancer or serve as a therapy,” explained Pooja Makhija, one of those responsible for the work.
Previous studies on the effects of black cardamom on cancer were preliminary and did not link the research results to the use of black cardamom in traditional medicine. “There had also not been enough analyzes with different cancer cells to know which cancer cells responded best to black cardamom extracts.“, added the expert.
The sequential extraction method with hexane followed by dichloromethane produced a black cardamom extract that was more effective against lung cancer cells.
“As black cardamom is commonly used as an important spice in cooking, further investigation of its impact on lung cancer progression in preclinical models may provide strong evidence in support of the ‘food as medicine’ philosophy. ‘ by Hippocrates, which has been largely neglected today,” said Gautam Sethi, another collaborator on the research.