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Cinnamon (rou gui / gui xin)
What is cinnamon? What is it used for?
Cinnamon is one of the world’s most popular spices.
It is also one of the oldest herbal medicines: some Chinese
texts have mentioned its use in herbal remedies more than
4,000 years ago.
Cinnamon comes from the cinnamon tree, which grows in tropical
areas, including parties of India, China, Madagascar, Brazil
and the Caribbean. The tree’s inner bark and essential
oil are used to make herbal products. Pieces of the bark may
be sold individually, or the bark may be crushed and sold
in a powdered form.
The medicinal effects of cinnamon are attributed to terpenoids,
substances found in the tree’s essential oil. Small studies
conducted on AIDS patients have found that cinnamon oil as
a potent anti-fungal, helping rid the body of oral candida
infections. Cinnamon has also been shown to fight the bacteria
that causes most ulcers. Test-tube studies have found that
other substances in the essential oil, diterpenes, may help
reduce allergies.
How much cinnamon should I take?
The German Commission E suggests taking 2-4 grams of cinnamon
powder daily. No more than a few drops of essential cinnamon
oil should be taken per day, and then only for a few days
at a time. Some practitioners also recommend 2-3 ml of cinnamon
tincture three times per day.
What forms of cinnamon are available?
Cinnamon powder and cinnamon sticks are widely available;
they can be found at supermarkets, health food stores and
specialty stores. Many stores also sell cinnamon oil and cinnamon
tinctures.
What can happen if I take too much
cinnamon? Are there any interactions I should be aware
of? What precautions should I take?
Chronic use of cinnamon may cause inflammation in the mouth.
Some individuals may develop allergies and skin conditions
after exposure to cinnamon; therefore, it should initially
be used in small amounts, and then for only a few days at
a time. The German Commission E does not recommend cinnamon
for use by pregnant and lactating women.
At this time, there are no well-known drug interactions with
cinnamon.
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References
• Akira T, Tanaka S, Tabata M.
Pharmacological studies on the antiulcerogenic activity of
Chinese cinnamon. Planta Med 1986;(6):440.
• Azumi S, Tanimura A, Tanamoto K. A novel inhibitor
of bacterial endotoxin derived from cinnamon bark. Biochem
Biophys Res Commun 1997;234:506—10.
• Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds)
The Complete Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to
Herbal Medicines. Boston, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications,
1998, pp. 110—1.
• Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common
Natural Ingredients Used in Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics,
2nd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996, pp. 168—70.
• Quale JM, Landman D, Zaman MM, et al. In vitro
activity of cinnamomum zeylanicum against azole resistant
and sensitive candida species and a pilot study of cinnamon
for oral candidiasis. Am J Chin Med 1996;24:103—9.
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