''Cinnamomum osmophloeum'', commonly known as pseudocinnamomum or indigenous cinnamon, is a medium-sized

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

in the genus ''

Cinnamomum ''Cinnamomum'' is a genus of evergreen aromatic trees and shrubs belonging to the laurel family, Lauraceae. The species of ''Cinnamomum'' have aromatic oils in their leaves and bark. The genus contains approximately 250 species, distributed in ...

''. It is native to broad-leaved forests of central and northern

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

Cinnamaldehyde Cinnamaldehyde is an organic compound with the formula(C9H8O) C6H5CH=CHCHO. Occurring naturally as predominantly the ''trans'' (''E'') isomer, it gives cinnamon its flavor and odor. It is a phenylpropanoid that is naturally synthesized by the sh ...

, an essential oil extracted from ''C. osmophloeum'', has numerous commercial uses. Also, it is a

xanthine oxidase inhibitor A xanthine oxidase inhibitor is any substance that inhibits the activity of xanthine oxidase, an enzyme involved in purine metabolism. In humans, inhibition of xanthine oxidase reduces the production of uric acid, and several medications that inhi ...

, hence a potential drug for treatment of

hyperuricemia Hyperuricaemia or hyperuricemia is an abnormally high level of uric acid in the blood. In the pH conditions of body fluid, uric acid exists largely as urate, the ion form. Serum uric acid concentrations greater than 6 mg/dL for females, 7&nbs ...

and related medical conditions including

gout Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of a red, tender, hot and swollen joint, caused by deposition of monosodium urate monohydrate crystals. Pain typically comes on rapidly, reaching maximal intens ...

Ethnobotany application

Cinnamomum osmophloeum can treat * Drinking cold drinks often causes diarrhea * Indigestion * Colds * Help smooth blood circulation * Menstrual irregularities * Boost mind It is also the main ingredient of Wu jia pi wine, and it can also be used to make cinnamon tea. One of the aborigines of Taiwan, the Tsou called the soil ''Cinnamomum osmophloeum'' as Nigi.

Modern application

''Cinnamomum osmophloeum'' is recognized as a good substitute for cinnamon, and the main components of its essential oil are cinnamaldehyde and coumarin. Compared with cinnamon, ''C. osmophloeum'' is even better. In addition to extracting essential oils from the bark, the branches and leaves of ''C. osmophloeum'' can also extract essential oils. And the yield of essential oils extracted from branches and leaves is 5 times higher than that of bark, so there is no need to peel off the bark and felling trees. As long as the leaves of ''C. osmophloeum'' are collected, the essential oil can be refined, and it can be harvested year after year. Potential to become an excellent non-wood forest product.

References

External links

osmophloeum Endemic flora of Taiwan Spices Trees of Taiwan Vulnerable flora of Asia Xanthine oxidase inhibitors {{Laurales-stub

Ethnobotany application

Modern application

See also

References

External links