Cinnamomum zeylanicum

Antidiabetic, blood lipid control, potent antioxidant

Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum, a tree that is indigenous to Sri Lanka and now cultivated in several other tropical countries too. It is often confused with the “other cinnamon,”  a product derived from the tree Cinnamomum aromaticum, that has a similar flavor and medicinal properties to “true” cinnamon. Both of these spices are widely available in most countries.
Cinnamon was used by the ancient Egyptians along with other spices in their embalming and mummification of the dead, its antibacterial and antioxidant properties assisting in the preservation of the bodies. It has also been used as a traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments including colds and digestive problems, as a perfume, and for flavoring wines. Today cinnamon is used primarily as flavoring for confectionery and as a fashionable spice in tea and coffee. Intense medical interest has, however, been stimulated by the recent discovery of its potent antidiabetic effects. This property has been attributed to hydroxychalcone and other polyphenols found in cinnamon (e.g. caffeic acid, isoeugenol, proanthocyanidins) that also have antioxidant and lipid-lowering properties.

Important Phytochemicals

Antioxidants: Caffeic acid, camphene, coumaric acid, epicatechin, gamma-terpinene, isoeugenol, linalyl-acetate, mannitol, methyl-eugenol, myrcene, phenol, proanthocyanidins, vanillin
Others: Cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid esters, coumarin, eugenol, hydroxychalcone, safrole, salicylates

Medicinal Properties

Diabetes
Cinnamon is a powerful inducer of insulin sensitivity making it an effective treatment for both Type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Recent landmark clinical trials have shown that the daily addition of as little as one gram of cinnamon to the diet leads to a reduction of blood glucose levels of between 18 percent and 29 percent in Type II diabetics.

Cardiovascular Disease and Blood Lipids
Cinnamon has a powerful effect on abnormally high blood lipid levels. Clinical trialsshowed that Type II diabetics who took as little as one gram of cinnamon daily for more than 40 days experienced a substantial improvement in their blood lipid profiles. Cinnamon can also help non-diabetics with high blood lipid levels to reduce the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

Antioxidant
Cinnamon contains some of the most varied and potent antioxidants of all plants, making it an important food in the control of oxidative stress and thereby the wide range of chronic diseases that are associated with oxidative damage.