cinnamon chemical constituents

CINNAMON

SYNONYMS: cinnamon bark, kalmi-dalchini, ceylon cinnamon

BIOLOGICAL SOURCE:

it consist of the dried inner bark of the shoots of coppiced trees of cinnamomum zeylanicum nees...family:lauraceae.

it should not contain less than 1.0% of volatile oil.

GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE;

the ever green tree of tropical area, is considered to be native of sri lanka and ,alabar coast of india and also in brazil.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS:

Cinnamon bark contain abt 0.5 to 1.0% of volatile oil, 1.2 % of tannis mucilage, calcium oxalate, starch and a sweet substance is known as mannitol.

the volatile oil is the active constituent of the drug. it is light yellow in colour and changes to red on storage. bark yields 14-16% of 90% alcohol-soluble xtractive....

cinnamon oil contain 60-70% of cinnamaldehyde, 5-10% eugenol, benzaldehyde, cuminaldehyde, and other terpenes like phellandrene, pinene, cymene, caryophyllene, etc... cinnamon oil is yellow to red in colour with sp. gr. 1.00 to 1.030; optional ratio 0 to -2; and refractive index 1.562-1.582

 the xport of cassia oil during 1994-95 was approximately Rs.16 lakhs.

USES:

BARK IS USED AS A CARMINATIVE, stomachic and mild astringent. it is also used as a flavouring agent stimulant, an aromatic , and antiseptic, commercially it is used as a sice and condiment, and also in the prprtn of candy,dentrifises, perfumes........

   Puvvukonvict