Black cardamom (A. subulatum), a commonly used spice, is also used in traditional medicine as a component of ayurvedic formulations for the treatment of lung conditions. In this article co-authored by A/Prof. Gautam Sethi, the cytotoxic potential of black cardamom on cancer cells was tested. The findings described in this article highlight the unique susceptibility of lung cancer cells, compared to breast and liver, to black cardamom extract and further demonstrate that the cytotoxic effects of black cardamom are mediated through the accumulation of superoxide, reactive oxygen species generation as well as DNA damage, resulting in cell death. This study lays the foundation for further investigation into how black cardamom extract can be developed for use as a novel therapeutic for lung cancer.

Read more: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2021.03.008