Semester 3, Week 14, Day 3

I survived my exam!  Someone smiled on me and I knew 2 of the 3 essay questions so I don't know my final grade yet.  Of the 70 multiple-choice questions, I got 56 right so I know the grade won't affect my overall grade too badly.  I decided I'm going to do things a bit different until I get these 2 papers and that last exam done.  Instead of trying to find time to get the semester 2 herbs updated so I can talk about them, I'll go ahead and talk about the semester 3 herbs that I already turned in and got graded.  They are already updated so there is no pre-work to do before discussing them.  I'll talk about cinnamon here today.  I'm working on my cayenne paper right now and don't want to discuss that here until that grade has been returned.  The kids are driving me nuts this morning, my son ate some of my daughter's breakfast and my daughter refused to eat her breakfast.  She did enjoy dumping water all over herself then complaining she was wet...  I'm going to get back to my paper.  I'm trying to have it off my plate by tomorrow.  Then have a few days for the ebola paper.  I want week 15 to be just study for that last final.

On to cinnamon!

Constituents: Allybenzenes and their isomers (propenylbenzenes), monomeric and oligomeric proanthocyanidins (procyanidin B-2, procyanidin B-3), flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, pelargonidin), potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, strontium. Each part has a different primary constituent – bark oil has cinnamaldehyde, leaf oil has eugenol, root bark oil has camphor. (Petersen, 2018, p. 165).

Therapeutic Actions: spermicidal, antibacterial (Petersen, 2018, p. 165-6). The scent of cinnamon is known to lift moods because it brings up memories of warm apple pie at Christmas.

Indications: Cinnamon is known to help diabetics. It can also help with flatulence, muscle/gastrointestinal spasms, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, infections, colds, loss of appetite, impotence, enuresis, rheumatic conditions, testicle hernia, menopausal symptoms, amenorrhea, and abortifacient. Externally, it can be used for sun tan lotion, nasal sprays, mouthwash, toothpaste, and as a counterirritant in liniments. (Petersen, 2018, p. 163).

Safety: Duration should be limited as some constituents in cinnamon can be toxic. 2-4g of bark or .05-.2 grams of essential oil per day, do not exceed 6 weeks. Do not use while pregnant. (Petersen, 2018, p. 164). Brinkler (2000) says avoid with liver problems, alcoholism and with acetaminophen. Do not take is pregnant. Never use undiluted oil in therapy. Signs of toxicity include nausea, vomiting, burning in the mouth/chest/stomach, double vision, kidney damage, collapse, and coma. External signs are redness/burning, blistering, and dermatitis.

Have a great day!