Cardamonin Chemical Identity
Cardamonin (2′,4′-dihydroxy-6′-methoxychalcone, C16H14O4, molecular weight 270.28) is a chalcone: two aromatic rings joined by a three-carbon bridge that carries a ketone and a trans double bond. The A ring bears two hydroxyl groups and a methoxy group, and the B ring is a plain phenyl. The conjugated enone is the structural feature that absorbs visible light and gives the powder a yellow color.
The raw material is the seed of Alpinia katsumadai Hayata (Zingiberaceae). Cardamonin was named for cardamom, and the compound is found in other plants of the ginger family, but the source of this product is the seed of Alpinia, and other Alpinia species such as A. oxyphylla are different raw materials.
Under the right conditions the chalcone can close into the flavanone alpinetin, which has the same formula C16H14O4, and cardamonin is also listed under the synonym alpinetin chalcone. Buyers comparing neighbors can look at Alpinetin 98%, Pinocembrin 98% and Alpinia katsumadai extract powder.
Searches for the compound often return mixed labels. Cardamonin appears alongside cardamom oil, which is an unrelated volatile mixture from a different part of the ginger family, and it is also listed as alpinetin chalcone. A specification that quotes the CAS number 19309-14-9 and the HPLC grade identifies the pure chalcone and excludes both.












