Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) seed extract as well as its main bioactive ingredient, 1,8-cineole, have the potential to act as a beneficial antiviral agent by enhancing the production of antiviral proteins called type I interferons, according to new research.
Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) seeds. Image credit: Karyna Panchenko.
Plant-based treatments have traditionally been used to treat a wide range of diseases, including viral infections.
Medicinal plants and herbs have been a rich source of bioactive compounds, which have been used by pharmaceutical companies in antiviral products.
These compounds can interfere with different viruses at various stages of their life cycle and modulate the body’s immune response to viral infection.
In a new study, Shinshu University researcher Takeshi Kawahara and colleagues found that cardamom seed extract can actually have potent antiviral benefits.
“We have been researching food ingredients that can prevent viral infections in our daily life since before the emergence of the novel coronavirus,” Dr. Kawahara said.
“The pandemic has increased society’s focus on the antiviral properties of food, which has led to more opportunities for us to engage in this research.”
In a previous study, the authors had found that cardamom seed extract had a preventative effect on influenza virus infection.
In the current study, they conducted experiments on human lung cells known as A549 cells, treated them with cardamom seed extract, and then mimicked the process of viral infection in these cells — all in order to better understand the effect of cardamom seed extract on the production of antiviral molecules.
More specifically, they found that cardamom seed extract, as well as its major bioactive ingredient, a compound called 1,8-cineole, was capable of activating intracellular nucleic acid sensors, which are sensors inside a cell that can recognize virus-derived DNA and RNA molecules.
These sensors can then induce the production of various molecules called cytokines, which act against viruses at different stages of infection.
In this particular case, treatment with cardamom seed extract or 1,8-cineole enhanced the production of a certain type of cytokine known as type I interferons, which play a crucial role in the body’s defense against viral infections, and this increase was mediated by the intracellular nucleic acid sensors.
Given these results, the researchers expressed a strong interest in the potential medical applications of their findings.
“Cardamom has historically been widely used as a spice with medicinal properties, but based on these findings, it is expected that it can be utilized as an antiviral material to prevent a wide range of viral infections,” Dr. Kawahara said.
“We hope that this research will provide a new perspective on the antiviral properties of food and create an opportunity to focus attention on a wider range of food ingredients that can help prevent viral infections in daily life.”
The findings were published in August 2025 in the journal Foods.
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Abdullah Al Sufian Shuvo et al. 2025. Type I Interferon-Enhancing Effect of Cardamom Seed Extract via Intracellular Nucleic Acid Sensor Regulation. Foods 14 (15): 2744; doi: 10.3390/foods14152744
