The bark of the Cinnamon tree, besides having a long history in ayurvedic medicine, is popularly used as a spice almost all around the world. Cinnamon was used in ancient Egypt not only as a beverage flavoring and medicine but also as an embalming agent. Cinnamon was highly prized among ancient civilizations as a gift for monarchs and god. It is mentioned in the Old Testament where Moses used it in the holy anointing oil. The flavor in cinnamon is due to an aromatic essential oil that constitutes 0.5-1% of its composition. An interesting research study found that chewing cinnamon flavored gum or just smelling cinnamon may enhance cognitive processing and boost brain function in people.

Botanical name: Cinnamomum verum or Cinnamomum zeylanicum
Family: Lauraceae
English name: Cinnamon
Hindi name: Dalchini, Daruchini

Cinnamon is a moderate sized evergreen tree with reddish brown soft bark.
Leaves: ovate, shiny above and usually rounded.
Flowers: small, axillary or sub terminal cymes or panicles.
Fruits: ovoid berry, dark purple in color having persistent perianth.

Parts used as medicine: bark and oil.

Ayurvedic recommendations

Cinnamon is bitter and astringent in taste. It is aromatic, aphrodisiac, deodorant, stimulant, expectorant, diuretic, and carminative in quality. Cinnamon is useful in conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, cardiac diseases, diarrhea, uropathy, nausea, vomiting, fever, and it also helps restore normal skin color of the face.

Therapeutic uses

1. Ayurveda recommends the bark powder, infusion, or decoction for bowel complaints like dyspepsia, flatulence, diarrhea and vomiting.
2. According to traditional medicine, cinnamon mixed with honey acts a stimulant for uterine contractions in menorrhagia.
3. Powdered cinnamon is widely used remedy for diarrhoea and dysentery in traditional Indian medicine.
4. Cinnamon is a traditional remedy for treating and preventing diabetes.
5. As a powerful stimulant, Ayurveda recommends cinnamon for cramps in the stomach, toothache, and paralysis of the tongue.
6. The bark powder is useful in cases of amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea.
7. The oil extracted from the bark is good as application for neuralgia and headache.
8. Cinnamon bark oil, when taken internally, helps with gonorrhea and typhoid fever.
9. In folk medicine, the oil is given in large doses to treat cancer.
10. In traditional Chinese Medicine, cinnamon is used to provide relief when faced with the onset of a cold or flu.

Home remedies with Cinnamon

1. Cinnamon powder and Acacia catechu mixed in equal proportion and boiled in 500 ml of water till the solution is reduced to 100 ml improves diarrhea, dyspepsia, and flatulence in children and the elderly.
2. Equal amount of dry ginger powder and cinnamon powder mixed with honey is good for influenza, dyspepsia, and flatulence.

Side effects: In over 4000 years of use cinnamon has shown no side effects. However, some cases of increased menstrual bleeding have been noted.

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