R. Br.
Family: Boraginaceae.
Habitat: Peninsular India, crossing into West Bengal.
Ayurvedic: Adah-pushpi (related species), Jhingi.
Folk: Hetenuriyaa, Jalasirasa. Jinghini (Maharashtra).
Action: Flower—sudorific, pectoral. Leaves—diuretic, emollient, demulcent. Root—applied to wounds as analgesic.
Seeds contain a toxic alkaloid supi- nine (1% dry seeds). Aqueous extracts of stems, leaves and fruits is very toxic to cockroaches.
Synonym: C. verum Persl.
Family: Lauraceae.
Habitat: Western Ghats at low levels. Plantations of cinnamon are confined to Kerala State.
English: Cinnamon, Ceylon Cinnamon.
Ayurvedic: Tvak, Daaruchini, Chochaa, Choncha, Varaanga, Utkata, Daarusitaa (bark).
Unani: Daarchini (bark).
Siddha/Tamil: Elavangappattai.
Folk: Daalchini.
Action: Bark—carminative, astringent, antispasmodic, expectorant, haemostatic, antiseptic. Leaf— antidiabetic. Ground cinnamon is used in diarrhoea and dysentery; for cramps of the stomach, gastric irritation; for checking nausea and vomiting; used externally in toothache, neuralgia and rheumatism. The bark is included in medicinal preparations for indigestion, flatulence, flu, mothwashes, gargles, herbal teas.
Key application: As antibacterial and fungistatic. Internally, for loss of appetite, dyspeptic complaints such as mild spastic conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, bloating and flatulence. (German Commission E, ESCOP.) Contraindicated in stomach and duodenal ulcers. (WHO.)The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia indicated the use of dried mature leaves of Cinnamomum tamala and dried inner bark of C. zeylanicum in sinusitis.Cinnamaldehyde is the major constituent (74%) of the essential oil from bark.Major constituent of the leaf oil is eugenol (28-98%) and that of root- bark oil camphor (60%).Cinnamaldehyde is hypotensive, spasmolytic and increases peripheral blood flow; and it inhibits cyclooxy- genase and lipoxygenase enzymes of arachidonic acid metabolism.Cinnamaldehyde exhibits CNS stimulant effects at high doses. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)The bark oil and extracts exhibit antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities, and enhance trypsin activity.Eugenol content of the leaf oil is antiseptic and anaesthetic. It is not inter- changable with the bark oil.Root bark oil acts as a stimulant in amenorrhoea. The bark contains tannins (6.5%) consisting of tetrahydrox- yflavandiols; diterpenes, cinnzeylanin and cinnzeylanol.C. malabatrum (Burm. f.) Blume is equated with Jangali Daarchini.
Dosage: Dried inner bark—1-3 g powder. (API Vol. I.)... cinnamomum zeylanicum
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