Effects of Essential oils of Elettaria cardamomum Grown in India and Guatemala on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Gastrointestinal Disorders

The present study examined the volatile composition and antimicrobial and gastrointestinal activity of the essential oils of Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton harvested in India (EC-I) and Guatemala (EC-G). Monoterpene were present in higher concentration in EC-I (83.24%) than in EC-G (73.03%), whereas sesquiterpenes were present in higher concentration in EC-G (18.35%) than in EC-I (9.27%). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.5 and 0.1 mg/mL were demonstrated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in EC-I and EC-G, respectively, whereas MICs of 0.125 and 1 mg/mL were demonstrated against Escherichia coli in EC-I and EC-G, respectively. The treatment with control had the highest kill-time potential, whereas the treatment with oils had shorter kill-time. EC-I was found to be more potent in the castor oil-induced diarrhoea model than EC-G. At 100 and 200 mg/kg, EC-I exhibited 40% and 80% protection, respectively, and EC-G exhibited 20% and 60% protection, respectively, in mice, whereas loperamide (positive control) exhibited 100% protection. In the in vitro experiments, EC-I inhibited both carbachol (CCh, 1 µM) and high K+ (80 mM)-induced contractions at significantly lower concentrations than EC-G. Thus, EC-I significantly inhibited P. aeruginosa and E. coli and exhibited more potent antidiarrheal and antispasmodic effects than EC-G.