Chinese cinnamon

Chinese Name: Rou gui
Medical Name: Cortex Cinnamomi
Latin Name: Cinnamomum cassia Presl.
Origin: Bark is peeled from stems and branches and set aside to dry.
Taste: Pungent and sweet

Quotes from Chinese historical sources

OTHER CLASSIFIED RECORDS OF FAMOUS DOCTORS:
"Treats cold and heat in the epigastrium and abdomen, cold syndromes, spasms due to cholera, headache, aching lower back and coughs by warming the spleen and stomach and activating qi in the liver and lungs; it induces diaphoresis, relieves restlessness, stops excessive sputum... reinforces bones and joints, clears obstructions from the blood vessels, regulates and making up for insufficiencies and activates the potency of herbs."

A REALISTIC APPROACH TO HERBS: "Supplements fire from the gate of life to a large extent, replenishing yang and treating yin." "It is very effective in cases of ailments caused by cold and stagnation, such as deep stubborn cold in the interior, wind-cold syndromes in the ying and wei systems, excessive perspiration due to yang deficiency, cold pain in the abdomen, coughing or dyspnea with stagnation of qi, loss of appetite due to deficiency of the spleen, diarrhea due to excessive fluid, stagnation in the blood vessels, retention of the placenta and conjunctivitis with swelling and pain."

Western Research

J Agric Food Chem 2002 Dec 18;50(26):7700-3
Suppression effect of Cinnamomum cassia bark-derived component on nitric oxide synthase.
Lee HS, Kim BS, Kim MK.
Research Center for Industrial Development of Biofood Materials and Institute of Agricultural Science & Technology, College of Agriculture, Chonbuk National University, Chonju 561-756, South Korea. hoiseon@moak.chonbuk.ac.kr
The inhibitory effects of Cinnamomum cassia bark-derived material on nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells was determined in vitro. As a naturally occurring therapeutic agent, trans-cinnamaldehyde could be useful for developing new types of NO inhibitors.

Arch Pharm Res 2001 Oct;24(5):418-23
Constituents of the essential oil of the Cinnamomum cassia stem bark and the biological properties.
Choi J, Lee KT, Ka H, Jung WT, Jung HJ, Park HJ.
College of Pharmacy, Kyungsung University, Pusan 608-736, Korea.
CC-oil and CNA can regulate the triggering of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes by the formation of a glutathione-conjugate.

J Agric Food Chem 2001 Jan;49(1):183-8
Antimicrobial effect of extracts from Chinese chive, cinnamon, and corni fructus.
Mau J, Chen C, Hsieh P.
Department of Food Science, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Extracts were prepared from Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum), cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia), and corni fructus (Cornus officinalis) and used to evaluate their antimicrobial activity on common foodborne microorganisms. Overall, the mixed extract was of promising potential for incorporation into various food products for which a natural antimicrobial additive is desired.

J Agric Food Chem 1998 Jan 19;46(1):8-12
Growth-Inhibiting Effects of Cinnamomum cassia Bark-Derived Materials on Human Intestinal Bacteria.
Lee HS, Ahn YJ.
Department of Agricultural Biology and the Research Center for New Bio-Materials in Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Suwon 441-744, Republic of Korea.
The growth-inhibiting activity of Cinnamomum cassia (Blume) bark-derived materials toward five intestinal bacteria was examined. These results may be an indication of at least one of the pharmacological actions of C. cassia bark.

Phytother Res 2000 Sep;14(6):466-8
Extract prepared from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia Blume prevents glutamate-induced neuronal death in cultured cerebellar granule cells.
Shimada Y, Goto H, Kogure T, Kohta K, Shintani T, Itoh T, Terasawa K.
Department of Japanese Oriental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan. shimada@ms.toyama-mpu.ac.jp
We studied the protective effect of a water extract from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia Blume on glutamate-induced neuronal death. These results suggest that the bark of Cinnamomum cassia has a protective effect on glutamate-induced neuronal death through the inhibition of Ca(2+) influx. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Int J Immunopharmacol 1999 Mar;21(3):149-59
Stimulating activity of Chinese medicinal herbs on human lymphocytes in vitro.
Shan BE, Yoshida Y, Sugiura T, Yamashita U.
Department of Immunology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan.
The effects of eight kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs (CMH) on human lymphocytes was studied in vitro. The extract of Cinnamomum cassia presl markedly stimulated human lymphocytes to proliferate.

Arch Pharm Res 1998 Apr;21(2):147-52
Synthesis and in vitro cytotoxicity of cinnamaldehydes to human solid tumor cells.
Kwon BM, Lee SH, Choi SU, Park SH, Lee CO, Cho YK, Sung ND, Bok SH.
Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology, Taejon, Korea.
Cinnamaldehydes and related compounds were synthesized from various cinnamic acids. The key functional group of the cinnamaldehyde-related compounds in the antitumor activity is the propenal group.

Int J Immunopharmacol 1998 Nov;20(11):643-60
Cinnamaldehyde inhibits lymphocyte proliferation and modulates T-cell differentiation.
Koh WS, Yoon SY, Kwon BM, Jeong TC, Nam KS, Han MY.
Immune Regulation Research Unit, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Taejon.
Two kinds of cinnamaldehyde derivative were studied for their immunomodulatory effects. The results in this study suggest both HCA and BCA inhibit the lymphoproliferation and induce a T-cell differentiation through the blockade of early steps in signaling pathway leading to cell growth.

Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 1989 Dec;37(12):3191-4
A reticuloendothelial system-activating arabinoxylan from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia.
Kanari M, Tomoda M, Gonda R, Shimizu N, Kimura M, Kawaguchi M, Kawabe C.
A neutral polysaccharide, named cinnaman AX, was isolated from the dried bark of Cinnamomum cassia Blume. It showed remarkable reticuloendothelial system-potentiating activity in a carbon clearance test.

Jpn J Pharmacol 1982 Oct;32(5):823-31
Immunopharmacological studies of the aqueous extract of Cinnamomum cassia (CCAq). II. Effect of CCAq on experimental glomerulonephritis.
Nagai H, Shimazawa T, Takizawa T, Koda A, Yagi A, Nishioka I.
Effect of the aqueous extract of Cinnamomum Cassia (CCAq) on experimental glomerulonephritis was studied. The production of antibodies were clearly inhibited by the administration of CCAq.

Jpn J Pharmacol 1982 Oct;32(5):813-22
Immunopharmacological studies of the aqueous extract of Cinnamomum cassia (CCAq). I. Anti-allergic action.
Nagai H, Shimazawa T, Matsuura N, Koda A.
Effect of the aqueous extract of Cinnamomum Cassia (CCAq) on experimental allergic reaction was investigated. The production of hemolytic plaque forming cells was slightly inhibited by CCAq. These results suggest that CCAq has an anticomplement action and inhibits the complement dependent allergic reaction.

Zhong Yao Tong Bao 1981 Sep;6(5):32-4
Pharmacological studies of Cinnamomum cassia bark.
Part I. Effects on the blood and cardiovascular system (author's transl)[Article in Chinese]
Chen Y.

Int J Immunopharmacol 1999 Mar;21(3):149-59
Stimulating activity of Chinese medicinal herbs on human lymphocytes in vitro.
Shan BE, Yoshida Y, Sugiura T, Yamashita U. Department of Immunology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan.
The effect of eight kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs (CMH) on human lymphocytes was studied in vitro. The extract of Cinnamomum cassia presl markedly stimulated human lymphocytes to proliferate. These results suggest that CMH extracts have a stimulating activity on human lymphocytes and these abilities could be used clinically for the treatment of diseases such as cancer.

Am J Chin Med 1992;20(3-4):313-7
Pharmacotherapeutic effects of kuei-chih-fu-ling-wan (keishi-bukuryo-gan) on human uterine myomas.
Sakamoto S, Yoshino H, Shirahata Y, Shimodairo K, Okamoto R. Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
Kuei-chih-fu-ling-wan (KBG), a traditional Chinese medicine with constituents including Cinnamomum cassia Bl. (Lauraceae), is used in the treatment of gynecological disorders. We investigated the effects of KBG on 110 premenopausal patients with uterine myomas. Clinical symptoms of hypermenorrhea and dysmenorrhea were improved in more than 90% of the cases with shrinking of uterine myomas in roughly 60% of the cases.