Food science: Cinnamon can be used to treat various illnesses

Researchers at the University of Colombo and the Industrial Technology Institute in Sri Lanka confirmed that Cinnamomum zeylanicum (commonly referred to as Ceylon cinnamon) can be used to treat various diseases. The study, published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, provides scientific support for its use a treatment for many ailments.

• Earlier research suggests that cinnamon offers anti-microbial, anti-parasitic, antioxidant, and blood glucose lowering properties, as well as beneficial cardiovascular effects.
• Researchers evaluated the pharmacodynamic effects and safety of cinnamon in healthy adults.
• Researchers recruited 30 healthy adults for a three-month phase I clinical trial.
• The dose of Ceylon cinnamon administered to the participants increased every month. On the first month, the participants received an 85-milligram (mg) dose of the Ceylon cinnamon. Participants received 250 mg of Ceylon cinnamon on the second month and 500 mg of Ceylon cinnamon in the third month.
• Researchers conducted anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical assessments at baseline and during the follow-up visit.
• To evaluate the safety of supplementation of Ceylon cinnamon, liver and kidney functioning tests were conducted at the baseline and at the end of each month.
• Results showed that although the supplement of Ceylon cinnamon did not cause any significant changes in the anthropometric measurements, it reduced the participants’ systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels were significantly reduced as well.
• Ceylon cinnamon also did not cause any toxic or serious side effects.

Based on the findings, researchers concluded that Cinnamomum zeylanicum can lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels in healthy adults.

For the full text of the study, go to this link.

Journal Reference:

Ranasinghe P, Jayawardena R, Pigera S, Wathurapatha WS, Weeratunga HD, Premakumara GAS, Katulanda P, Constantine GR, Galappaththy P. EVALUATION OF PHARMACODYNAMIC PROPERTIES AND SAFETY OF CINNAMOMUM ZEYLANICUM (CEYLON CINNAMON) IN HEALTHY ADULTS: A PHASE I CLINICAL TRIAL. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2017; 17(550). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-017-2067-7