Tropical evergreen tree, Cinnamomum zeylanicum Bl. (syn. C. verum Presl.), Lauraceae; cultivated for the aromatic bark which is widely used in cooking and in traditional medicine. Leaves and root bark are also used for their essential oil. Habit. Sri Lanka and southeast Asia. Saigon cinnamon is obtained from the bark of C. loureirii Nees. Cassia, also known as Chinese cinnamon, is often used as a substitute; obtained from the related species, C. cassia Presl. (syn. C. aromaticum Nees). Constit. Volatile oil (up to 4%), tannins, catechins, pre-anthocyanidins, resins, mucilage, gum, sugars, calcium oxalate, coumarins, and the insecticidal compounds, cinnzeylanin and cinnzeylanol. Comprehensive description: J. Thomas, P. P. Duethi in Handbook of Herbs and Spices, Vol. 1, K. V. Peter, Ed., (Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, 2001) pp 143-153. Analysis of volatile constituents: U. M. Senanayake et al., J. Agric. Food Chem. 26, 822 (1978). Authentication method: M. J. Cikalo et al., J. Planar Chromatogr. 5, 135 (1992). Review of cinnamon: J. Barnes et al., Herbal Medicines (Pharmaceutical Press, London, 2nd Ed., 2002) pp 135-136; of cassia: idem, ibid. pp 112-113. Review: A. Y. Leung, S. Foster, Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients, (Wiley-Interscience, Hoboken, 2nd Ed., 2003) pp 167-170.
Volatile oil obtained by steam distillation from the dried inner bark of C. zeylanicum. Constit. Complex mixture of components chiefly, cinnamaldehyde (60-75%), cinnamyl acetate, eugenol, caryophyllene, linalool.
Volatile oil obtained by steam distillation of the leaves and twigs of C. zeylanicum. Constit. Eugenol (80-88%), other components similar to bark oil.
Volatile oil obtained by steam distillation from the leaves and twigs of C. cassia. Constit. Cinnamaldehyde (75-90%), cinnamyl acetate, salicylaldehyde, methyleugenol, coumarin.
Carminative, antiseptic, astringent.