Cinnamon grows up to 15-20m high, with strong branches and thick scabrous bark with young shoots speckled greeny-orange leave. The trees are allowed to grow unless they turn to uniform brown by formation of cork. Harvesting is done in rainy season. The leaves have a spicy smell when bruised. Essential oil extracted by water or steam distillation from the leaves and twigs.

Sanskrit  :  Darusita Oriya  :  Dalchini Hindi  :  Dalchini Greekk  :  Kinnámōmon Malayalam  :  Karuva French  :  Cannelle Persian  :  Darchin Turkish  :  Tarçın Telugu  :  Dalchini chekka Kannada  :  Mendium, Ventaiyam English  :  Cinnamon bark Urdu  :  Methi

Part Used-Bark

Chemical Constituents- Contains cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, benzaldehyde, cuminaldehyde, phellandrene, pinene, cymene, caryophyllene etc.

Chemical Structure-

Therapeutic applications

Anti-Microbial Activity

• Cinnamon's essential oils act as an "anti-microbial agent" which is used to stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi.
• It is published in Bulletin of Insectology 61 (1): 1-4, 2008 that antimicrobial activity of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) essential oil and its main components against Paenibacillus larvae from Argentine.
• Ground cinnamon is used in diarrhea and dysentery; for cramps of the stomach, gastric irritation; for checking nausea and vomiting; used externally in toothache, neuralgia and rheumatism.

Antidiabetic Activity

• In Ayurveda and in folklore medicine, cinnamon is used for the treatment of diabetes. Researcher demonstrates that cinnamon reported to reduce the blood glucose level in non-insulin dependent diabetes.

Anti-oxidant property

• Due to having anti-oxidant property cinnamon & it’s essential oil have been used as preservative in food.

Antibacterial property

• Essential oil of Cinnamon used against the Gram-positive bacteria Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus cereus, and also against the gram negative bacteria like E. Coli, Aspergillus niger etc.

In Medicinal Preparation

• The bark is included in medicinal preparations for indigestion, flatulence, flu, mouth washes, gargles, herbal teas.

Other Application

• Bark is used as carminative, astringent, antispasmodic, expectorant, and haemostatic, antiseptic.
• Leaf is used as Antidiabetic.

Therapeutics uses in Ayurveda

• Arsa(Piles)
• Hridroga(cardiac ailments)
• Krimiroga(Worm infections),
• Mukhasosa(Dry mouth/sore mouth)
• Kanthamukharoga(Throat and oral diseases),
• Pinasa(Sinusitis, Coriza)
• Vastiroga(Colorectal Diseases)