The Badge Archive

E.O.s: Black Cardamom

  • Common Name: Black Cardamom Essential Oil
  • Botanical Name: Amomum subulatum Roxburgh
  • Family: Zingiberaceae (Ginger family)
  • Synonyms: Large Cardamom, Nepalese Cardamom, Greater Indian Cardamom, Bengal Cardamom
  • Fragrance Note: Middle — warm, smoky, resinous, with camphor and spice undertones

Black cardamom is native to the Eastern Himalayas (Nepal, India, Bhutan). Unlike green cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), black cardamom pods are dried over open flames, giving the oil a smoky, camphoraceous aroma.

Key Constituents

These are some of the major compounds. See Essential Oil Safety (2nd ed.) for a full constituent list with percentages.

  • 1,8‑Cineole – respiratory support, antimicrobial
  • β‑Pinene – anti‑inflammatory, bronchodilator
  • Terpineol – antioxidant, antibacterial
  • Aromadendrene – woody, resinous aroma
  • Terpinene – antimicrobial, antioxidant
  • Elemene – studied for anti‑inflammatory properties
  • Myrcene – analgesic, sedative, anti‑inflammatory

Safety & Hazard Information

  • General Safety: Must be diluted before topical use. Avoid undiluted application.
  • Hazards: May cause skin irritation, eye irritation, or allergic reactions.
  • Flammability: All essential oils are a flammable liquid.

Dilution Guidelines

See Dilution Guidelines for more in-depth explanation on dilution amounts. Children require lower dilution rates than adults.

  • Essential Oil Safety notes that cineole‑rich oils (like Black Cardamom) should be kept at low dermal concentrations (~1–2%) to avoid irritation.
  • On the Tisserand Institute dilution chart:
    • 1% dilution ≈ 3 drops per 10 mL carrier oil
    • 2% dilution ≈ 6 drops per 10 mL carrier oil

Contraindications

  • Children: Avoid use on or near the face of infants/young children due to cineole content (Essential Oil Safety).
  • Pregnancy: Avoid medicinal amounts; may increase miscarriage risk (WebMD; RxList).
  • Gallstones: Cardamom seed can trigger gallstone colic; avoid if gallstones are present (WebMD).

General Advisory: Do not apply on or near face of infants or children. Avoid if pregnant or gallstones are present.

Simplified Side Effects

  • Skin irritation or sensitization (especially if undiluted) Source: Essential Oil Safety (Tisserand & Young, 2nd ed.) — cineole‑rich oils can irritate skin if not diluted.
  • Gastrointestinal upset in high doses Source: WebMD – Cardamom Overview — cardamom may cause stomach upset or trigger gallstone colic.
  • Possible respiratory irritation in sensitive individuals Source: Essential Oil Safety (Tisserand & Young, 2nd ed.) — cineole‑rich oils can irritate airways, especially in infants/young children.

Common Uses

  • Anti‑inflammatory & analgesic – Documented in pharmacological studies for reducing inflammation and pain (ScienceDirect; Essential Oil Experts).
  • Antimicrobial properties – Shown to have antibacterial and antifungal activity in laboratory studies (PubMed; ScienceDirect).
  • Digestive aid – Traditionally used in Ayurveda and Unani medicine for indigestion, stomach cramps, and loss of appetite (HerbalGram; WebMD; RxList).
  • Perfumery & aromatherapy – Valued for its smoky, resinous aroma; blends well with woody and spice oils (Essential Oil Experts).

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Posted on December 3, 2025, by:

Tia Kennard

Click Here -> To see information References:

Disclaimer: The information published on The Badge Archive is built from the references listed below. These sources demonstrate that our content is grounded in facts and research, not opinion or speculation. Readers may consult them directly when looking for additional material.

  • American Botanical Counil. “ABC Herbalgram Website.” Herbal Gram, http://www.herbalgram.org/about-us/. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
  • “Best Essential Oils 2026.” Consumersadvocate.org, 24 May 2019, http://www.consumersadvocate.org/essential-oils. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
  • “Cardamom: Health Benefits, Side Effects, Uses, Dose & Precautions.” RxList, http://www.rxlist.com/supplements/cardamom.htm. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
  • “Cardamom: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews.” Webmd.com, 2016, http://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-614/cardamom/. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
  • Ehmig, Ashley. “4 Reliable Essential Oil Databases You Need to Know.” American College of Healthcare Sciences, 27 Sept. 2017, achs.edu/blog/credible-essential-oil-databases-for-research/. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
  • “Essential Oil Dilution Chart.” Tisserand Institute, tisserandinstitute.org/essential-oil-dilution-chart/. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
  • “Essential Oils – Search Results – PMC.” Nih.gov, 2015, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/?term=Essential+oils. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
  • “Essential Oil – Search | ScienceDirect.com.” Sciencedirect.com, 2025, http://www.sciencedirect.com/search?qs=Essential%20Oil&offset=25&show=25&sortBy=relevance. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
  • The North American Essential Oil and Aromatherapy Experts. “Our Research” Essential Oil Experts, 2025, essentialoilexperts.com/our-research/. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
  • Robbins, Wendy. “150 Essential Oils: Essential Oil Uses and Benefits | AromaWeb.” Aromaweb.com, AromaWeb, 2025, http://www.aromaweb.com/essentialoils/index.php. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
  • Robert, Tisserand, and Rodney Young. Essential Oil Safety. 2002. Second ed., China, Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014.

All Essential Oil pages on The Badge Archive are also referred to the E.O.s: Trusted Sources article.

Short link: https://tinyurl.com/mt482a77

Tia Kennard