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| DISCLAIMER: These pages are presented solely as a source of INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT and to provide stern warnings against use where appropriate. No claims are made for the efficacy of any herb nor for any historical herbal treatment. In no way can the information provided here take the place of the standard, legal, medical practice of any country. Additionally, some of these plants are extremely toxic and should be used only by licensed professionals who have the means to process them properly into appropriate pharmaceuticals. One final note: many plants were used for a wide range of illnesses in the past, but be aware that many of the historical uses have proven to be ineffective for the problems to which they were applied. |
Image| • NOT FOR PROLONGED USE! • Uterine stimulant! Not used medicinally during PREGNANCY. • NOT used in overheated and feverish conditions. • Not used with stomach or intestinal ULCERS. • Not used when ACID REFLUX is present. • AVOID IF allergic to Cinnamon and/or Peruvian Balsam. • Allergic reactions of skin and mucosa are common. |
Sweet Flag was once used as a substitute for cinnamon, 1/3 the amount of flag being used. Once astrologically ruled by Mars, its rulership is now given over to Uranus and the Sun § |
CONTAINS: volatile oil, tannins, mucilage, gum, sugars, coumarins, mannitol, catechins. |
| PROPAGATION | By RIPE SEED under cover; by SEMI-RIPE CUTTINGS in summer |
| NEEDS | Hardy down to 50ºF indicating the need for a tropical to subtropical climate. Requires moist, well-drained soil in sun or part shade. Grown as an ornamental in the southern United States. |
| HARVEST | Coppiced shoots are cut after 3 to 5 years of growth during the rainy season. The bark is allowed to ferment for 24 hours, then the outer bark is stripped and and the inner bark is peeled and dried. Leaves are stripped and allowed to dry for the distillation of oil |
| PART USED | Inner bark. Leaves, Bark oil, Leaf oil |
| FORM | Whole quill bark, crushed bark, powdered bark, distilled oil, massage oil, infusion, decoction, tincture, compress. |
| RELATED SPECIES | BLACK SASSAFRAS (C. oliveri): Native to Australia. Possesses a strong clove-sassafras aroma. INDIAN CASSIA (C. tamala): Has fragrant leaves. Is used in Indian cookery. The bark has been used to adulterate cinnamon. INDONESIAN CASSIA (C. burmanii): Has been used as a substitute for cinnamon and is used to make incense. MASSOIA BARK (C. massoia): Has a more clove-like aroma. Used as a flavoring and in perfumery. SAIGON CINNAMON (C. loureirii): A sweet variety used for baking and cordials. WILD CINNAMON (C. iners): Used in southeast Asian cuisine, notably in curries. |
MEDICINAL:
Warming, aromatic, sweet, pungent, stimulant (peripheral circulation), antispasmodic, astringent, febrifuge, lowers blood pressure, diaphoretic, demulcent, antiseptic, antifungal, tonic, uterine stimulant, and digestive aid. Cinnamon is also said to clear the brain and improve thinking. Oil is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and a uterine stimulant. Has been used to control bleeding, treat infections (oil used for chronic infections), for loss of appetite, diarrhea, colic, cramps, nausea, vomiting, gastroenteritis, hypertension, colds and flu, sore throat, coughing, wheezing, heart pain, lower back pain, abdominal pain, arthritis, rheumatism, and candidiasis. A decoction has been used for chronic diarrhea, weak kidneys and cold conditions (and for people who are chronically cold). The massage oil has been rubbed into the abdomen for colic, stomach chills, and diarrhea. Cinnamon simmered in milk with a little honey added has been used to treat indigestion, gas, diarrhea, and dysentary (has been combined with Slippery Elm for diarrhea and dysentary). A compound tea has been used to treat nausea (3 small thin sticks of cinnamon, 1 tbsp cardamom seeds, 1 tbsp nutmeg; powdered together in a coffee blender, 1/4 tsp being used to 1 cup of hot water for an adult, a small pinch in 1 cup of tepid water for a child). Cinnamon has sometimes been combined with other herbs to improve their flavor (1/4 tsp to 1 cup of other herbs), or to prevent griping. Has been used externally as a wash to clean wounds. The tincture has been used (5 ml in a small amount of hot water) for colds and chills as well as to stop uterine bleeding (given every 15 min); also as a vermifuge when combined with garlic syrup and tinctures of black walnut and sage, the dose being 1/2 tsp taken 3 times daily for 1 week, then repeated in 2 weeks. The oil has been employed in inhalation form (5 drops in boiling water; steam inhaled) for colds and respiratory infections; also as a flu preventative (5 drops of oil to 1 tbsp of water, taken several times daily). Other less effective methods have been to bruise cinnamon sticks and steep in simmering water or brandy. A paste has been made with equal parts cinnamon and turmeric as a poultice for bruises.
The warm tea has been used as a stimulant in cases of fainting spells and for exhaustion; also to treat nerves and as a douche for menstrual problems. Cinnamon steeped in warm milk has been used to relieve symptoms of altitude sickness. Ground cinnamon has been used on a wet toothbrush as an antiseptic for gum disease, mouth sores, cankers, and cavities. In studies using the aroma of hot cinnamon buns on male subjects, it was determined that this form of therapy might have some aphrodisiac value in cases of penile dysfunction by improving blood flow to the penis. (At the very least it proves the old maxim about the way to a man's heart - and apparently his libido - is through his stomach which clearly must first be approached by his nose). A pinch of cinnamon added to a cup of black tea has been used to assist the body in utilizing insulin more effectively. The oil is used extensively in Chinese Medicine where it is considered astringent, carminative, and antiseptic and used for nausea and vomiting. The bark is also used as a stimulant for the digestive, respiratory, and blood cirulatory systems as well as to treat rheumatism, tuberculosis, dental pain, urinary problems, heart problems, and headache. In Japanese research cinnamon was shown to be effective against Clostridium botulinum, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus parasiticus, and Aspergillus flavus. In the East Indies, cinnamon has been used as a wash and soak for skin fungus, namely athlete's feet. Was used by the Egyptians and the Israelites for stomach disorders.
DOSE: TRADITIONAL DOSAGES FOR PROFESSIONAL NOTE ONLYHOMEOPATHIC:CULINARY:COSMETICCRAFT:OTHER:
Tropical Asian evergreen shrub or tree (up to 40 feet) native to India, Sri Lanka, and Peninsular Malaysia. LEAVES are glossy, ovate, red when young, maturing to green and appearing in opposite pairs up to 7 inches long with a spicy aroma. FLOWERS are yellowish-white, tiny, inconspicuous and appear in long panicles and are followed by red berries. FRUIT is small (1/2 to 3/4 inch) and pointed. The BARK is harvested from young shoots in sheets giving the scroll appearance of commercial cinnamon. Almost all cinnamon today comes from cultivated trees.