Cardamom Oil is an almost colorless or pale yellow to light brownish liquid. The oil is produced by steam distillation of the seeds of Elettaria Cardamomum, a plant of the ginger family. This plant grows wild, and is also cultivated in Ceylon, India (Malabar coast, Travancore, Canara and other provinces), in Guatemala, and lately in El Salvador, Central America. In perfumery, the oil will not only impart spiciness, but also a warm, sweet note which tits into floral bases such as muguet and rose.
It usually grows up to a height 4 meters and it has long, green silky blades, and small yellowy colour flowers carry a violet tip. It also has a large fleshy rhizome, which looks more similar to ginger. Its oblong gray fruits follow the beautiful flowers each of them containing several seeds. This essential oil of Cardamom is basically obtained through the steam distillation process from the seeds of its fruit which are just gathered before they are ripe and it yields 1-5 % of oil. This beneficial oil is sweet, spicy and almost carries balsamic fragrance. It is clear to pale yellow in colour and also slightly watery in viscosity.
Apperance:- colorless to pale yellow clear liquid (est)
Odor:- warm spicy camphoreous medicinal eucalyptus balsamic woody Spicy.
Specific Gravity:- :- 0.91700 to 0.94700 @ 25.00 C.
Refractive Index:- 1.46200 to 1.46600 @ 20.00 C.
Optical Rotation:- +22.00 to +44.00
Solubility:- Alcohol , water, 332.1 mg/L @25 deg. C (est)
Extraction:- The essential oil of Cardamom is extracted by steam distillation from the seeds of the fruit gathered just before they are ripe. The yield is 1-5 %.
Composition:- The main chemical components of cardamom oil are a-pinene, b-pinene, sabinene, myrcene, a-phellandrene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, y-terpinene, p-cymene, terpinolene, linalool, linalyl acetate, terpinen-4-oil, a-terpineol, a-terpineol acetate, citronellol, nerol, geraniol, methyl eugenol and trans-nerolidol.
Uses & Benefits:-
• Cardamom oil is particularly helpful for the digestive system. It works as a laxative and soothes colic, wind, dyspepsia and nausea - even nausea in pregnancy. It warms the stomach and helps with heartburn.
• When feeling weak and mentally fatigued, cardamom oil can help with its refreshing and uplifting effect.
• Cardamom oils' expectorant properties help clear coughs. It is a well-known remedy for impotence and low sexual response.
Safety Precautions:-
Cardamom oil is non-toxic and non-irritant as well as non-sensitizing.
Therapeutic Properties:-
The therapeutic properties of cardamom oil are antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, cephalic, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic and tonic.