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Cinnamon

The medicinal element of cinnamon is the oil extracted from the bark, particularly that of young trees, and the leaf. Cinnamaldehyde, an essential oil that accounts for 65% to 80% of the herb, possesses analgesic, antifungal, and antidiarrheal effects. Specifically, the essential oils from cinnamon bark are active against Aspergillus parasiticus growth. Cinnamon is available as a tea and tincture.

Benefits And Uses of Cinnamon

Cinnamon is used orally to treat loss of appetite, GI upset, bloating, flatulence, infections, fever, colds, and diarrhea. It’s used topically as an astringent. In foods, it’s used as a common spice and flavoring agent.

Administration

• Tea: 1 cup of tea by mouth for a daily dosage of 2 to 4 g of bark; prepared by adding 0.5 to 1 g of bark to 7 oz (210 ml) of boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes and steeping .
• Tincture: 2 to 4 ml three times a day; prepared by moistening 200 parts cinnamon bark evenly with ethanol and percolate to produce 1,000 parts tincture.

Side Effects of Cinnamon

Adverse effects associated with cinnamon include sedation, sleepiness, depression, tachycardia, oral lesions, increased intestinal movement, tachypnea, allergic reactions to skin and mucosa, skin irritation, pruritus, and increased perspiration. There are no reported interactions with cinnamon.

Those with an allergy to cinnamon or Peruvian balsam should avoid use. Those who are pregnant or are planning pregnancy and those who have GI conditions, including ulcers, should avoid Using cinnamon for therapeutic purposes because it may irritate the GI tract.

Clinical considerations

• If patient is pregnant or is planning pregnancy, advise her not to use cinnamon medicinally.
• Alert patient that cinnamon may cause an allergic skin reaction. Tell him to promptly report any adverse reactions and new signs or symptoms to his health care provider.
• Advise patient to stop using cinnamon and to promptly contact his health care provider if he experiences stomach Upset, diarrhea, or signs of bleeding.
• Tell patient to remind prescriber and pharmacist of any herbal or dietary supplement that he’s taking when obtaining a new prescription.
• Advise patient to consult his health care provider before using an herbal preparation because a treatment with proven efficacy may be available.

Research summary

Germany’s Commission E approves cinnamon for appetite loss and indigestion; however, these uses are backed by scant scientific evidence.

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