May help with

• anti ulcer
• antidiabetic
• atherosclerotic
• antibacterial
• anti inflammatory

plant name

Chinese cinnamon, cassia

International Latin denomination

Cinnamomum cassia Nees ex Blume = Cinnamomum aromaticum Nees

botanical family

Lauraceae

Description and habitat

• Native to southwestern China, this evergreen tree has simple, entire, helix-inserted, leathery leaves with thick, rough bark. The inflorescences are highly branched clusters of whitish, regular, 6-petalled flowers.
• The fruit is a berry resembling that of the noble laurel . It likes rain, high temperature and rich, light soil

History and tradition

• Other Cinnamomum  :
  • Cinnamomum loureirii CG Nees (from Vietnam)
  • Cinnamomum burmanii CG Nees ex Blume (from Indonesia)
  • Cinnamomum camphora Sieb ( Japanese camphor = ravintsara )

Parts used

• Bark, essential oil of leaves and young twigs

Dosage forms available

• Essential oil

Usual dosages

Composition

Main components of the plant

• Starch in greater quantity than in the bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum
• Essential oil (2%)
• Free and osylated diterpenes: cinncassiols A, B, C, D, E), cinnzeylanine
• Phenylpropanoic derivatives
• Furanofuran lignans
• Polysaccharides
• Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes as glycosides ( cassioside , cinnamoside )
• Proanthocyanidols and proanthocyanidolic oligomers  : cinnamtanins

Main components of buds or young shoots

Main components of essential oil

• Aromatic aldehydes : cinnamaldehyde (70-90%), trans-2-methoxycinnamaldehyde (3-15%), benzaldehyde
• Ester  : cinnamyl acetate (1-6%)
• Phenols  : chavicol , isoeugenol , very little eugenol (<0.5%)
• Coumarins

Properties

Plant properties

• Cytoprotective property of the aqueous extract of the drug attributed to different substances: phenylpropanoic derivatives , cassioside , cinnamoside and heteroside derivative
• Anti-ulcer
• Antidiabetic effects [1] , [2] not found in a randomized study [3]
• Anti-atherosclerotic [4]
• Anticancer potential [5] , [6] , inhibition of angiogenesis [7]
• Antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa [8]
• Anti-inflammatory, COX-2 and iNOS inhibition [9] , [10]
• Hypouricemic by inhibition of xanthine oxidase (with Chrysanthemum indicum , Lycopus europaeus , Polygonum cuspidatum [11]
• Inhibition of transcriptional activity of NF-KB (nuclear factor-kappa B) trans-cinnamaldehyde , 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde [12]
• Yang tonic for Chinese medicine

Bud properties

Properties of essential oil

• Broad-spectrum antimicrobial
  • Antibacterial on Gram-positive germs: Staphylococcus aureus , Gram-negative: Escherichia coli , Enterobacter aerogenes , Proteus vulgaris , Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistant to antibiotics [13] , Vibrio cholerae , Vibrio parahaemolyticus , Samonella typhymurium
  • Germs without wall: mycoplasmas ( Ureaplasma sp. ) [14]
  • Antifungal on fungi and yeasts ( Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, Aspergillus spp., Fusarium sp. ), dermatophytes ( Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagraphytes ) [15]
  • Inhibits the growth of bacteria Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes [16]
• Anti-bacterial biofilm, Chinese cinnamon , clove , tea tree , balsam of Peru and red thyme essential oils are more effective in eradicating biofilms of Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus aureus than certain antibiotics, which constitutes a huge potential for the discovery of alternatives or complements to antibiotics [17]
• Antiviral and immune stimulant
• Parasiticide, acaricide [18]
• Antifermentation
• Emmenagogue
• Aphrodisiac
• Nervous system stimulant
• hyperemic
• Antiaggregating, blood thinner
• Cinnamomum cassia leaf essential oil inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation by cinnamaldehyde [19]

Directions

Indications of the whole plant (phytotherapy)

• stomach ulcers
• Gastritis

Indications of the bud (gemmotherapy)

Specific indications of essential oil (aromatherapy)

• Gastrointestinal infections of various etiologies, diarrhoea, amoebiasis, dysentery, intestinal parasitosis, tropical infections
• Bronchitis, flu
• Gastroenteritis
• Cystitis, urethritis, vaginitis
• Impotence, frigidity
• Fatigue, depression
• Acne, anthrax

Known or suspected mode of action

Usual formulations

Regulations

• French Pharmacopoeia list A (stem bark = Chinese cinnamon)

Possible side effects and precautions for use

• Do not use on children, pregnant women and people with sensitive skin
• No prolonged use
• Risks due to the presence of coumarin in the plant, one teaspoon of Cinnamomum cassia powder is said to contain approximately 5.8 to 12.1 mg of coumarin, which is above the tolerable daily intake (ADI) of 0.1 mg/kg body weight/day recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) [20]
• Essential oil  :
  • High dose gastritis and ulcers
  • Skin irritation (dermocaustic) possible
  • Risks of allergies and aggravation of rosacea [21]

Bibliographic references

1. Aller↑ Verspohl EJ, Bauer K, Neddermann E. Antidiabetic effect of Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamomum zeylanicum in vivo and in vitro. Phytother Res. 2005 Mar;19(3):203-6. PMID 15934022
2. Aller↑ Dugoua JJ, Seely D, Perri D, Cooley K, Forelli T, Mills E, Koren G. From type 2 diabetes to antioxidant activity: a systematic review of the safety and efficacy of common and cassia cinnamon bark. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2007 Sep;85(9):837-47. PMID 18066129
3. Aller↑ Suppapitiporn S, Kanpaksi N, Suppapitiporn S. The effect of cinnamon cassia powder in type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Med Assoc Thai. 2006 Sep;89 Suppl 3:S200-5. PMID 17718288
4. Aller↑ Kang H, Park S, Yun J, Nam T, Kim Y, Kim D, Kim YJ. Effect of cinnamon water extract on monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation and scavenger receptor activity. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2014, 14:90 (7 March 2014) Full text abstract
5. Aller↑ Soumya J Koppikar, Amit S Choudhari, Snehal A Suryavanshi, Shweta Kumari, Samit Chattopadhyay, and Ruchika Kaul-Ghanekar. Aqueous Cinnamon Extract (ACE-c) from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia causes apoptosis in human cervical cancer cell line (SiHa) through loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. BMC Cancer. 2010; 10:210.
6. Aller↑ Ho-Keun Kwon, Ji-Sun Hwang, Jae-Seon So, Choong-Gu Lee, Anupama Sahoo, Jae-Ha Ryu, Won Kyung Jeon, Byoung Seob Ko, Chang-Rok Im, Sung Haeng Lee, Zee Yong Park, and Sin-Hyeog Im. Cinnamon extract induces tumor cell death through inhibition of NFκB and AP1. BMC Cancer. 2010; 10:392.
7. Aller↑ Kwon HK, Jeon WK, Hwang JS, Lee CG, So JS, Park JA, Ko BS, Im SH. Cinnamon extract suppresses tumor progression by modulating angiogenesis and the effector function of CD8+ T cells. Cancer Lett. 2009 Jun 18;278(2):174-82. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2009.01.015. PMID 19203831
8. Aller↑ Sharma A, Chandraker S, Patel VK, Ramteke P. Antibacterial Activity of Medicinal Plants Against Pathogens causing Complicated Urinary Tract Infections. Indian J Pharm Sci. 2009 Mar;71(2):136-9. doi: 10.4103/0250-474X.54279. PMID 20336211
9. Aller↑ Hong CH, Hur SK, Oh OJ, Kim SS, Nam KA, Lee SK. Evaluation of natural products on inhibition of inducible cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in cultured mouse macrophage cells. J Ethnopharmacol. 2002 Nov;83(1-2):153-9. PMID 12413723
10. Aller↑ Joung-Woo Hong, Ga-Eun Yang, Yoon Bum Kim, Seok Hyun Eom, Jae-Hwan Lew, Hee Kang. Anti-inflammatory activity of cinnamon water extract in vivo and in vitro LPS-induced models. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2012, 12:237. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-12-237 full text
11. Aller↑ Kong LD, Cai Y, Huang WW, Cheng CH, Tan RX. Inhibition of xanthine oxidase by some Chinese medicinal plants used to treat gout. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000 Nov;73(1-2):199-207. PMID 11025157
12. Aller↑ Reddy AM, Seo JH, Ryu SY, Kim YS, Kim YS, Min KR, Kim Y. Cinnamaldehyde and 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde as NF-kappaB inhibitors from Cinnamomum cassia. PlantaMed. 2004 Sep;70(9):823-7. PMID 15503352
13. Aller↑ V.-G. from Billerbeck. Essential oils and antibiotic resistant bacteria. Essential oils and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Phytotherapy, Volume 5, Number 5, 249-253
14. Aller↑ Sleha R, Mosio P, Vydrzalova M, Jantovska A, Bostikova V, Mazurova J. In vitro antimicrobial activities of cinnamon bark oil, anethole, carvacrol, eugenol and guaiazulene against Mycoplasma hominis clinical isolates. Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2014 Jun;158(2):208-11. doi: 10.5507/bp.2012.083. PMID 23128812
15. Aller↑ Ooi LS, Li Y, Kam SL, Wang H, Wong EY, Ooi VE. Antimicrobial activities of cinnamon oil and cinnamaldehyde from the Chinese medicinal herb Cinnamomum cassia Blume. Am J Chin Med. 2006;34(3):511-22. PMID 16710900
16. Aller↑ Mounia Oussalah, Stéphane Caillet, Linda Saucier, Monique Lacroix. Inhibitory effects of selected plant essential oils on the growth of four pathogenic bacteria: E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. Food Control, Volume 18, Issue 5, May 2007, Pages 414-420 [1]
17. Aller↑ Kavanaugh, NL, & Ribbeck, K. (2012). Selected antimicrobial essential oils eradicate Pseudomonas spp. and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. Appl. About. Microbiol., 78(11), 4057-4061.
18. Aller↑ Kim HK, Yun YK, Ahn YJ. Fumigant toxicity of cassia bark and cassia and cinnamon oil compounds to Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Acari: Pyroglyphidae). Exp Appl Acarol. 2008 Jan;44(1):1-9. PMID 18247142
19. Aller↑ Pannee C, Chandhanee I, Wacharee L. Antiinflammatory effects of essential oil from the leaves of Cinnamomum cassia and cinnamaldehyde on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated J774A.1 cells. Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology & Research. 2014;5(4):164-170. doi:10.4103/2231-4040.143034. Full Text
20. Aller↑ Abraham K, Wöhrlin F, Lindtner O, Heinemeyer G, Lampen A. Toxicology and risk assessment of coumarin: focus on human data. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2010 Feb;54(2):228-39. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200900281. PMID 20024932
21. Aller↑ Campbell TM, Neems R, Moore J. Severe exacerbation of rosacea induced by cinnamon supplements. J Drugs Dermatol. 2008 Jun;7(6):586-7. PMID 18561592

Store in a cool, dry place, away from light. Keep tightly closed, away from the reach of Children and pets.

Do not exceed the daily dose.

This product is not intended to prevent or cure any form of illness or disease.
 

If you are pregnant or nursing ; If you have a medical condition or are in the course of medical treatment ; If you are programmed for theater/operation in the near future, please consult your healthcare practitioner before using this product.

This product cannot replace a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

This product has not been evaluated by the SAHPRA for its quality, safety or intended use.

For More Information please check our General Safety Herbal products Page