Antidiabetic Properties of Cinnamomum verum J. Presl (True Cinnamon Tree or Ceylon Cinnamon Tree)

Abstract

Herbs and spices have been traditionally used for their antimicrobial properties to improve food safety and shelf life by inhibiting foodborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria. Medicinal plants have also been extensively studied as sources of natural antimicrobial agents to treat infectious diseases. Cinnamomum species, commonly used as spices, contain various antibacterial compounds. Cinnamon, in particular, has been found to have several health benefits due to its phytochemical constituents such as phenolic and volatile compounds, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-hypertriglyceridemia properties. Distillation and solvent extraction can extract cinnamon phytochemicals from different parts of the plant. This chapter aims to review the use of cinnamon as an antibacterial agent, its basic and clinical pharmacology, and its limitations.