Cinnamomum zeylanicum leaf, steam distilled, social enterprise, from Sri Lanka.
Aroma: Cinnamon Leaf oil has a spicy, warm, clove-like smell, that is less spicy than cinnamon bark essential oil.
History: Medicinal use of cinnamon bark was first recorded in Chinese formularies as early as 2700 B.C. The herb has been used as a healing aid for stomach upset and gas, diarrhea, rheumatism, kidney ailments, and abdominal pain. The Egyptians used it as a foot massage, as well as a remedy for excessive bile. It was used as an ingredient of mulled wines, love potions and a sedative during birth.
Colour: Golden Brown
Common Uses: Cinnamon Leaf is believed to have the following properties: as a stimulant, as an antiseptic (as with cinnamon bark), as an antibiotic, as an astringent, as a carminative, as an emmenagogue, and as a natural insecticide and antispasmodic. Constipation, exhaustion, flatulence, lice, low blood pressure, rheumatism, scabies, stress. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 58-67.]
Cinnamon leaf promotes strength, endurance and certainty.
Constituents:
Eugenol 79.5%, Eugenyl acetate, Linalool, (E)-Cinnamyl acetate, Benzyl benzoate
[B.M. Lawrence, Essential Oils 1976-1978 (Wheaton: Allured Publishing, 1979), 29. B.M. Lawrence, Essential Oils 1988-1991 (Wheaton: Allured Publishing, 1995), 148, 201. Sources cited in Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 248-249.]
Consistency: Thin to Medium
Note: Middle
The strength of Aroma: Medium
Cautions: Though non-toxic, it is capable of causing sensitivity - particularly with mucous membranes. It should also be used in proper dilution and avoided during pregnancy.
Safety Information: Tisserand and Young indicate that both the bark and the leaf oil are low risk for mucous membrane irritation, may inhibit blood clotting and pose a drug interaction hazard. For the leaf oil, Tisserand and Young recommend a dermal maximum of 0.6%. Reading Tisserand and Young's full profile for both the bark and leaf oils is recommended. [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 248-250.]
Photo thanks to Consultaplantas / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)