The inner bark from the new shoots of the cinnamon tree are collected every other year & used in the form of sticks as a household spice. This most ancient of spices was included in just about every prescription issued in ancient China for complaints of colds, flu, digestive & menstrual problems, rheumatism, kidney problems, and as a general stimulant. It is listed in the British herbal Pharmacopoeia as a specific for flatulence & nausea.

Cinnamon is a tropical evergreen that grows up to 48 feet tall, with high, thick branches and young shoots speckled green-orange. The leaves, shiny green and leathery, have a spicy smell. Flowers are small and white, yielding oval, bluish-white berries. The essential oil is collected by water or steam distillation from the leaves, twigs, and dried inner bark. Cinnamon bark oil is dermal toxic, an irritant and sensitizer. Cinnamon leaf oil is relatively non-toxic. The oils are yellow-brown, with a warm, spicy odor.

Cinnamon leaf is claimed to have antiseptic, astringent, digestive, parasiticide, stimulating qualities. This oil may help circulation, colds, coughs, digestion, flu, infections & rheumatism.The oil is believed to fight viral & infectious diseases. Both bark & leaf oils are used for their fragrance & therapeutic actions in nasal spray, cough syrups, & dental preparations. The leaf oil is used in soaps, toiletries, & perfumes. Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka, Madagascar, the Comoro Islands, south India, Burma, & Indochina. It is cultivated in Jamaica & Africa.

Chemical constituents are aromatic alcohols; esters; phenols; aldehydes (cinnamaldehyde 63-76%); and coumarines. Safety Data: Cinnamon bark oil is dermal toxic.
Cinnamon leaf oil may cause contact sensitization. Do not use if pregnant, hypertensive, or epileptic.