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Cassia Essential Oil |
| Cassia is native to the south-eastern parts of China and to a lesser extent in Vietnam and India. It is a slender, evergreen tree up to 20 m high, with leathery leaves and small white flowers, with the essential being obtained by steam distillation from the leaves, twigs and stalks. It is cheaper and more abundant than the Ceylon variety, and is the only official essential oil of Cinnamon in the United States Pharmacopoeia and German Pharmacopoeia. |
| Botanical Name: | Cinnamomum cassia (Blume)
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| Family: | Lauraceae
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| Synonyms: | Cinnamonum aromaticum, Laurus cassia, Chinese cinnamon, false cinnamon, cassia cinnamon, cassia lignea.
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| Similar Oils: |
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| Parts Used: | Leaves, bark, twigs and stalks
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| Extraction Method: | Steam Distillation,
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| Appearance: | Yellowish-brown liquid (rectified oil is pale yellow)
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| Aroma Description: | Sweet Balsam Cinnamon.
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| Perfume note: | Base to Middle
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| Blends well with: | Balsam peru, caraway, chamomile, frankincense, ginger, nutmeg, rosemary, Geranium, black pepper, and all the spices, coriander, and citrus oils.
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| Historical Uses: | In the far east used for vascular disorders, flatulence and dyspepsia.
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| Modern Uses: | Some pharmaceutical applications in mouthwashes, toothpastes etc. also tonic and carminative preparations. Mostly used in food flavourings, including alcohol and soft drinks. Very little use in perfumes or cosmetics because of its dark colour.
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| Cautions: | Cassia oil is very irritating to the skin and should be handled with care.
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| Aromatherapy Uses: |
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Not Used in Modern Aromatherapy
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| Main Constituents, % |
| Cinnamic aldehyde |
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| Methyl eugenol |
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| Salicylaldehyde |
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| Methylsalicyaldehyde |
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| Physical Actions |
| Antidiarrheal, anti-emetic, antimicrobial, astringent, carminative, spasmolytic. |
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| Toxicity |
LD50 - (oral) rat >not known mg/kg; (dermal) rabbit >not known.
Irritation/Sensitisation - Not available
Phototoxicity - Not available
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