Cinnamon

CINNAMON (Cort. Cinnamomi), the bark of the cinnamon tree, was used as a medicinal remedy in ancient times. In medicine, two varieties of cinnamon are used: Chinese C. [Cort. Cinnamomi Cassiae (ФУП) from Cin-namomum Cassia Blume, Cinnamomum aro-mat. Fr. Nees, family Lauraceae-Persioideae] and Ceylon C. (Cort. Cinnamomi ceyla-nici from Cinnamomum ceylanicum Breyne of the same family). The plant is an evergreen tree reaching 14 meters or more in height. The best varieties of C. are obtained from cultivated trees aged 6 years and older, from periodically pruned branches (every 4-6 years). The thinner the bark and the less periderm (outer bark) it has, the better it is. - The commercial product of Ceylon C. consists of double tubes made of several thin rolled bark sheaths inserted into one another. This C. is accepted in the VI German Pharmacopoeia. In ФУП, Chinese C. is accepted, which differs from Ceylon C. by its greater thickness and darker color; Chinese C. is also rolled into tubes, but mostly single-row and of larger diameter compared to Ceylon C. Ceylon C. differs from Chinese C. by its thinner aroma and taste; it is richer in essential oil (about 4%) and contains significantly less tannin substances. - The fracture of C. bark is smooth; taste is burning, spicy, sweetish and somewhat astringent; smell is aromatic, pleasant. C. powder has the same taste and smell; with iron vitriol, the powder is colored dark green (reaction to tannin). The characteristic sterides and sac-cells with mucus or essential oil found in C. are also present in the cross-section of C. and in the powder (fig. 1 and 2). The powder of Ceylon C., differing from the powder of Chinese C. by its lighter color, stronger burning taste and thin smell, does not differ microscopically from the powder of Chinese C. The main constituent of C., by which the quality of the product is determined - essential oil - contains 1-2% in Chinese C.; it is yellow-brown in color, has the aroma of C. and a sweetish burning taste; specific weight 1.055-1.065 at 15°; the rotation of the oil is very weak [α]_d = up to -1° (at t° 20°); boiling point from 200°; the essential oil consists mainly (more than 80%) of cinnamic aldehyde C₉H₇O. CH : CH.CHO (boils at 246°); there is a small amount of hydrocarbon (C₁₅H₂₄), polyterpenes (C₁₀H₁₆), cinnamic acid (C₉H₇O CH : CH-COOH), cassia-steareoptene (melting point 45-46°) and aldehyde of methyl-ortho-coumaric acid C₆H₄(OCH₃)-CH=CH-CHO. - To the non-essential constituents of C. can be attributed starch (significant amount), sugar, mucus, tannin substances, calcium oxalate and salts of o, mineral acids; ash of C. gives 1-5%; C. containing more than 5% ash does not meet Ph. VII. To prevent the loss of essential oil and its oxidation, C., as well as its powder and essential oil, should be stored in a well-sealed jar. According to Ph. VII, from C. are prepared: 1) aromatic vinegar (Acetum aroraaticum), 2) tincture of C. (T-ra Cinna-raomi), which is prepared by infusing one part of C. with 5 parts of 70° alcohol and 3) water of C. (Aqua Cinnarnomi), prepared by infusing one part of pounded C. with one part of 90° alcohol and with such an amount of water as to distill 10 parts of water of C. - The action of C. on the body is reduced to the action of its essential oil as a spicy substance, which also causes irritation of the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, bronchi, and acts as a diuretic. In medicine, C. is used as an aromatic bitter agent, stimulating the activity of the digestive organs, and as a warming agent, correcting the taste and smell of medicines. In folk medicine, C. is used as a uterine tonic and to stop uterine bleeding (so-called folk "lifting drops", which sometimes represent a tincture of C.). The use of C. and its essential oil as a spice in food products and as a flavoring agent in perfumery is also widespread.