This Ancient Spice May Hold The Key to Tomorrow’s Antivirals

AsianScientist (Nov. 26, 2025) –Long celebrated for its aroma and flavour, cardamom might soon spice up the world of medicine too. Scientists from Japan’s Shinshu University have discovered that cardamom seed extract can trigger the body’s antiviral defenses at a cellular level. Their findings reveal that cardamom seed extract and its main bioactive compound, 1,8-cineole, stimulate the production of antiviral molecules known as type I interferons via nucleic acid ‘sensors’ inside cells, that help cells fight off viral infections.

The study was led by doctoral researcher Abdullah Al Sufian Shuvo from the Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Shinshu University, along with co-authors Masahiro Kassai from S&B Foods Inc. and Takeshi Kawahara from Shinshu University. The study was published in the journal Foods.

“Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) 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,” said Kawahara.