Cinnamomum saigonicum

Cinnamomun zeylanicum

(Saigon cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon)

Therapeutic Actions:

• Anodyne due to its prostaglandin-inhibiting action
• Antibacterial, inhibiting E. coli, Staph aureus
• Antifungal, inhibiting Candida albicans
• Astringent
• Carminative, enhances trypsin activity
• Causes contraction of the uterine muscles and arrests bleeding
• Diaphoretic
• Hemostatic
• Hypotensive, stimulates peripheral blood flow
• Inhibits cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes of arachidonic acid metabolism
• Stimulates and then depresses the nervous system

Clinical Indications:

• Constipation
• Dysmenorrhea
• Hemorrhoids
• Hypertension
• Cold or flu with chilliness, aching, sweating but cold skin
• Diarrhea
• Digestive irritation - use in small doses because cinnamon can cause digestive irritation in large doses
• Nausea and vomiting
• Passive gastric bleeding
• Passive pulmonary bleeding
• Passive intestinal bleeding
• Passive renal bleeding

Contraindications:

• Persons with a cinnamon allergy
• Pregnancy due to the emmenagogue effect
• Stomach or intestinal ulcers due to the carminative effect

Drug/Nutrient Interacton:

• Limited data

Chemical Constituents:

• Cinnzelanin
• Cinnzelanol
• Coumarin
• Essential oil:
  
  Cinnamaldehyde
  Cinnamyl acetate
  Cinnamy alcohol
  Cuminaldehyde
  Eugenol
  Methyleugenol
• Tannins:
  
  Polymeric tetrahydroxyflavandiols

Toxicity:

• Toxic dose: .5 ml / kg for the oil internally
• Doses exceeding 2 grams:
  
  Narcotic effect
  Convulsions
  Delirium
  Hallucinations
  Death
• External toxicity:
  
  Burning
  Dermatitis
  Redness
• Internal toxicity:
  
  Kidney damage
  Nausea
  Vomiting

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).