Hello,
Lots of people ask me what is one of the most powerful essential oils? For me it is Cinnamon Leaf not Cinnamon Bark however I have decided to really go into depth about Cinnamon Leaf and Cinnamon Bark for the next 3 months. We will discuss their therapeutic properties, how to use them and their contraindications through videos on my Youtube Channel called Learning Essential Oils with Lorrie .
Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil- Cinnamomum verum J.Presl (Syn : Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume)
Botanical Family- Lauraceae
Country of Origin- Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Indochina
Major Chemical Constituents- Eugenol (<= 85,00%) Eugenyl acetate (<= 8,00%) Benzyl benzoate (<= 7,00%) Beta caryophyllene (1,50 to 7,00%) Cinnamal (Cinnamaldehyde) (<= 3,00%)
The aroma is spicy, stimulating, warm, and sweet. It is middle note in perfumery. Cinnamon leaves are steam distilled. The color- pale yellow to brownish. Cinnamon leaf is high in a phenol called eugenol. Eugenol has also shown excellent antimicrobial activity in studies, being active against fungi and a wide range of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria (Marchese A, Barbieri R, Coppo E, Orhan IE, Daglia M, Nabavi SF, Izadi M, Abdollahi M, Nabavi SM, Ajami M. 2017)
Cinnamon leaf essential oil also has shown to be effective against Salmonella Newport on organic leafy greens. (Todd J, Friedman M, Patel J, Jaroni D, Ravishankar S. 2013)
In my 5 videos, you will learn how to effectively and safely use Cinnamon leaf essential oil safely in formulations for colds, flus, coughs, as a protective air spray and for the chills! In these videos, you will see what essential oils that I have combined with Cinnamon leaf. Here are the essential oils that combine well with Cinnamon Leaf (Hargis L. 2015)
Clove*, Orange, Lemon, Bergamot, Nutmeg*, Coriander, Cardamom, Frankincense, Eucalyptus, Geranium, Ginger, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Rosemary, Niaouli, Ravintsara, Tea Tree, Black Pepper, Sandalwood, Jasmine, Rose*, Myrrh, Lavender, Lime, Pine, Mandarin Red or Green, Oregano, Thyme thymol, Thyme linalol, Savory, Spearmint, Spikenard, Wintergreen, Yarrow and Ylang Ylang
Contraindications- Do not diffuse alone; always blend with other essential oils. Do not use in pregnancy. Skin Irritant. Do not use in bath or steam inhalation. Do not use on children under 8 years of age. When using Cinnamon leaf only use in 0.25 max in most IFRA categories. Please contact me for more information my IFRA calculator at lorrie@lorriehargis.com
To get more information on Cinnamon leaf – Here is my Video –
What is Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil?
check out my book, Common Scents, A Practical Guide to Aromatherapy
References:
Marchese A, Barbieri R, Coppo E, Orhan IE, Daglia M, Nabavi SF, Izadi M, Abdollahi M, Nabavi SM, Ajami M. 2017, Activity of eugenol and essential oils containing eugenol: A mechanistic viewpoint. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2834603
Todd J1, Friedman M, Patel J, Jaroni D, Ravishankar S. 2013, The antimicrobial effects of cinnamon leaf oil against multi-drug resistant Salmonella Newport on organic leafy greens.
Hargis L, 2015 Common Scents, A Practical Guide to Aromatherapy French Kitchen Table Publishing
*IFRA- Rose and Clove contain methyleugenol which is considered a skin Irritant when combining Cinnamon leaf with them this could cause formulations to exceed the IFRA restriction limits to be considered safe. Nutmeg contains safrole which can only be used in very small amounts and Cinnamon leaf contains small amounts blending them together can cause restrictions in formulations according to the IFRA Standards.
Enjoy all the wonderful attributes of Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil.
Don’t Forget Your Essentials, Use Your Common Scents,
Lorrie
Lorrie Hargis, RA
