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Herbal Glossary | Medicinal Glossary | Herbal Preparations | Ayervedic Formulas | Chinese Formulas Cinnamon
Scientific NamesCommon Names
Parts Usually UsedBark, oil obtained from bark and leaves Description of Plant(s) and CultureThe dried inner bark of the branches of a small, tropical, evergreen
laurel tree. The bark is peeled off and as the pieces are dried, they
curl up into quills. Where FoundFound growing around marshes. Medicinal PropertiesStimulant, alterative, analgesic, aromatic, astringent, carminative,
diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, mild laxative Biochemical InformationEssential oil including phellandrene, eugenol, gums, sugar, coumarins,
cinnamic aldehyde, methuleugenol; mucilage, tannin, sucrose and starch Legends, Myths and StoriesCinnamon was probably the first spice used by man. Ancient records reveal that it was used for more than 5,000 years. The countless flavoring uses of this valuable spice need not be enumerated. Cinnamon brandy is made by soaking crushed cinnamon bark a fortnight in brandy. In the Far East, the cinnamon tree is grown in southern China, but is native to Kuangsi. Since ancient times, cinnamon has been used as medicine and the flavoring spice we know today. Chinese herbalists tell of older people, in their 70s and 80s, developing
a cough accompanied by frequent spitting of whitish phlegm. A helpful
remedy, they suggest, is chewing and swallowing a very small pinch
of powdered cinnamon. Should be of the highest quality, determined
by a bitter-sweet taste. If too bitter and/or not oily, the quality
is poor. This remedy can also help people with cold feet and hands,
especially at night. UsesQuills or sticks are used in spiced punches, teas, cooked fruit, pickling liquids. Ground spice used in sweet baked goods, cooked in fruit, and some meat and fish dishes. Cinnamon raises vitality, warms and stimulates all the vital functions of the body, counteracts congestion, is antirheumatic, stops diarrhea, taken in milk for dysentery, colds, flu, sinusitis, bronchitis, nausea and vomiting, improves digestion, relieves abdominal spasms, counteracts gas, aids the peripheral circulation of the blood. Cinnamon tea offers helpful relaxation for the stomach upset by the tension and strain of modern living. Makes an interesting liqueur. Formulas or DosagesDose: take a rounded tsp. of cinnamon to a cup of boiling
water, stir it and drink while hot. Drink a small portion at a time,
4 to 5 times a day, or drink a cup as needed for griping and pain
in the bowels due to gas. Use 1/4 tsp. to a cup of other herbs to
flavor them. Put it in with the herbs when the tea is made. How SoldPowder WarningContraindicated in therapeutic doses for pregnant women or individuals with wasting and dryness; especially the essential oil, because the herb is a potential uterine stimulant. Use this herb with care in feverish conditions and bleeding disorders.
Bibliography
Herbal Gardening, compiled by The Robison York State Herb Garden, Cornell Plantations, Matthaei Botanical Gardens of the University of Michigan, University of California Botanical Garden, Berkeley., Pantheon Books, Knopf Publishing Group, New York, 1994, first edition
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Gui
(Chinese name)
The Herb Book
, by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974.
, by Jethro Kloss; Back to Eden Publishing Co., Loma Linda, CA 92354, Original copyright 1939, revised edition 1994Copyright © 1996-2010 Lynn DeVries, all rights reserved.