Fructus Amomi Tsao-ko

Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lem. (cao guo 草果)

Amomum cardamomum Linn.(bai dou kou白豆蔻);^[1]

A. costatum, Roxb.(dou kou 豆蔻)^[1]

A. kravanh Pierre ex Gagnep ;

A. compacturn Soland et Maton (Indonesian bai dou kou)﹔

soka

chogwa

cho ko; tou kou

cardamom

Vietnam, Yunan, Guizhou,Guangdong, Guangxi, Taiwan,

acrid, warm, aromic

spleen, stomach

藥物配伍：

stomach pain, flatulence, belching, indigestion due to stomach qi stagnation , vomiting, malarial disorders, drunkenness from alcohol consumption.

胃痛，脘腹脹滿，噫氣，氣滯 宿食消化不良，嘔吐，及胃呃逆，酒醉不醒，瘧疾寒熱。

 1.配知母，具有調寒熱，和表里之功，善治瘧証。 2.配常山，可加強截瘧之藥力，免除常山涌吐之弊。 3.配砂仁，增強化濕濁，溫脾陽，和胃的功效。 4.配厚朴，化濕濁，健脾胃，行氣和胃氣。 5.配白豆蔻，二藥相使配對，各取所長，具有較強的化濕醒脾，暖胃散寒，行氣止痛，調中止嘔作用。(節錄自中醫在線)

1.5 to 6 g

Medical Functions of cao guo:

1. a-pinene and β-pinene expells phlegm and inhibits cough.

2. 1,8-Cineole can have calming, pain relieving and asthma inhibiting effects

3.  β-pinenean has  strong anttibiotic and anti-inflammation effects; geraniol has strong antibiotic and antifungal effects

4. small amount of cao guo can stimulate intestine but large amount inhibits it. when taken orally geraniol inhibited the activities of the digestive tract of rats. Small amount mildly promotes urination.

5. rids of round worms of guinea pigs.

(1).鎮咳祛痰作用：本品所含的a--蒎烯(a-pinene)和β-蒎烯(β-pinene)有鎮咳祛痰作用。

(2). 1，8-桉油素(1,8-Cineole)有鎮痛、解熱、平喘等作用。

(3) .抗炎、抗菌作用： B-蒎烯有較強的抗炎作用，并有抗真菌作用。香葉醇 (geraniol ) 有抗細菌和真菌作用，對發須癬菌和奧杜安氏小孢子菌的最低抑菌濃度為0.39mg/ml。 (4).. 小劑量對腸管有興奮作用，大劑量則有抑制作用。4..其它作用：小劑量香葉醇能抑制大鼠的自發活動。大鼠口服香葉醇能抑制胃腸運動，小量口服有輕度利尿作用。5. 香葉醇還有驅豚鼠蛔虫作用。

Essential oil: fruit contains 1.6%; seeds contains 2.2%; skin contains0.38%. The essential oil contains 33.94%of 1,8-cineole, 11.78% of trans-2-undecenal. Also contains α--pinene, β-pinene, camphor, Linalool, p-cymene,  nonanal, decanal, a--terpineol, neral-a,-b, geraniol, nerolidol and geranial.

种子含揮發油等。果實精油得率為1.6%，其中种子含油2.2%，果皮僅0.38%。草果精油除主含1,8-桉油精(1,8-cineole) 33.94%外，另含反-2-十一烯醛(trans-2-undecenal)占11.78%，該純品具有常有的濃郁的草果辛香味，是除1,8-桉油精之外的另一主香成分。尚有α-蒎烯  (α--pinene)和β-蒎烯 (β-pinene)、對-聚傘花烴 （p-cymene）、壬醛、(Nonanal),  癸醛 (Decanal).、芳樟醇 (Linalool.)、樟腦、α-松油醇(-terpineol)、橙花醛-a，-b(neral- a,-b)、香葉醇(geraniol)、划果酮和橙花叔醇(nerolidol)。此外，還有牻牛儿醛(geranial)。

禁忌:

Do not use in cases of qixu, blood deficiency, qixu (qi deficiency) and fire is high in lung and stomach with no cold dampness . (more to be uploaded).

肺胃火盛及氣虛或血虧無寒濕實邪者禁用。

 1.《本草蒙筌》：大耗元陽，老弱虛贏，切宜戒之。 2.《本草經疏》：凡瘧不由于瘴气；心痛胃脘痛由于火而不由于寒；濕熱瘀滯，暑气外侵而成滯下亦白、里急後 重及泄瀉暴注、口渴；濕熱侵脾因作脹滿或小水不利，咸屬暑氣濕熱，皆不當用。 3.《本草備要》：忌鐵。

毒理學：

Roosting the herb cut down the side effects.

Half of the laboratory rat fed geraniol died. The lethal dosage is 4.9g/kg. For rabbits, the lethal injection dosage was 50mg/kg.

Cao guo which are processed by smoking can be carcinogens when taken for a long period.

 大鼠口服香葉醇的半數致死量 為 4.8g/kg，兔靜脈注射為50mg/kg。

長期服用以煙熏處理之草果可能致癌。