Cinnamon

Medicinal Herb Information ‘C’

Ø Cinnamon: Spice with a Punch

§      Warning: Pregnant women should limit their use to culinary amounts.

§      Do not ingest cinnamon oil, it can cause nausea, vomiting, and possibly even kidney damage.

∞      Botanical name: Cinnamomum zeylanicum, (C. cassia, C. saigonicum)

∞      Chinese Botanical name:

---Description---

---Family--- Lauraceae; other members include bay, avocado, nutmeg, and sassafras

---Parts Used--- Dried inner bark

---Constituents--- Eugenol oil

---Medicinal Action and Uses---

Ø Infection Prevention: A sound scientific reason for “flavoring” tooth pastes and mouthwash with cinnamon does exist. Like many culinary spices, it’s a powerful antiseptic. It kills many decay-and disease-causing bacteria, fungi, and viruses.   Try sprinkling some on minor cuts and scrapes after they’ve been thoroughly washed.

Perhaps toilet paper should be impregnated with cinnamon. One German study showed it “suppresses completely” the cause of most urinary tract       infections (Escherichia coli bacteria) and the fungus (Candida albricans)       responsible for vaginal yeast infections.

Ø Pain Relief: There’s another reason to dust a bit of cinnamon on cuts and scrapes – it contains the natural anesthetic oil eugenol, which might help relieve the pain of household mishaps.

Ø Digestive Aid: Cinnamon does more than add flavor to cakes, cookies, ice creams, and other high-fat deserts. Once you’ve consumed these delicacies, the herb helps break down fats in your digestive system, possibly by boosting the activity of some digestive enzymes.

Ø Women’s Health: Despite some modern herbalists’ contention that cinnamon helps calm the uterus, the weight of historical evidence suggests the opposite. Pregnant women should limit their use to culinary amounts. Other women might try it to bring on menstruation or after delivery.

Ø Intriguing Possibility: Japanese researchers report that cinnamon helps reduce blood pressure.

---Nutrient Source---

---Side Effects or Negative Effects--- Cinnamon is on the Food and Drug Administration’s list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, cinnamon is considered safe in amounts typically recommended.

---Deterrent--- In powdered form, culinary amounts of cinnamon are nontoxic, though allergic reactions are possible.Cinnamon oil is a different story. On the skin, it may cause redness and burning. Used internally, it can cause nausea, vomiting, and possibly even kidney damage. DONOT ingest cinnamon oil.

Â ---References--- “The Healing Herbs – The Ultimate Guide to the Curative Power of Nature’s Medicine” by – Michael Castleman, ISBN: 0-87857-934-6; Pages 115-117;

Â ---References---

Â ---References---

Ø Recipe: For a warm, sweet, spicy infusion, use ½ to ¾ teaspoon of powdered herb per cup of boiling water. Drink up to 3 cups a day.

Ø Recipe:

∞      Definition –