Batavia cinnamon
StarCinnamomum burmanni
Synonyms: Cinnamomum cassia, Cinnamomum burmanni var. chinense, Cinnamomum dulce var. sieboldii, Cinnamomum burmanni var. kiamis, Cinnamomum kiamis, Cinnamomum dulce, Cinnamomum dulce var. thunbergii, Cinnamomum miaoshanense, Cinnamomum chinense, Cinnamomum macrostemon, Cinnamomum dulce var. ammannii, Cinnamomum mutabile, Cinnamomum ammannii, Cinnamomum hainanense, Cinnamomum burmanni var. angustifolium, Laurus dulcis, Cinnamomum thunbergii, Persea nitida, Cinnamomum suaveolens, Laurus cinnamomum, Laurus burmanni, Cinnamomum mindanaense, Laurus cinnamomoides, Cinnamomum nitidum, Persea dulcis, Cinnamomum sieboldii
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
Across its South-East Asian homeland the bark of Cinnamomum burmanni serves as both spice and folk medicine. In Indonesia it is a common ingredient of jamu herbal tonics, used as a warming digestive to relieve nausea, flatulence and diarrhoea, applications that mirror the carminative and astringent character traditionally ascribed to cassia bark (Katzer, 2012; WebMD, n.d.).
Gallery
Botanical Description
Cinnamomum burmanni, the Indonesian cinnamon, Padang cassia or korintje, is an evergreen tree of the laurel family (Lauraceae) native to South-East Asia and grown commercially chiefly in the highlands of West Sumatra. It commonly attains 7 to 15 metres in height, bearing greyish bark whose fragrant inner layer is dried and sold as cinnamon. The leaves are stiff and leathery, set oppositely or nearly so, elliptic to lanceolate with three conspicuous longitudinal veins, glossy green above and dull below, and strongly aromatic when bruised; new shoots are frequently tinged reddish. Tiny pale greenish-yellow flowers appear in branched axillary and terminal clusters and give way to small dark ovoid berries each cradled in a cup-shaped receptacle. Harvested in rolled quills, the bark yields a cinnamaldehyde-rich essential oil and contains comparatively high concentrations of coumarin, distinguishing this cassia-type cinnamon from true Ceylon cinnamon.
Active Constituents
trans-Cinnamaldehyde
Phenylpropanoid aldehydeConcentration: Dominant bark-oil component (~60–82% of the essential oil)
The principal flavour and bioactive constituent, responsible for the warm cinnamon aroma and for much of the antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity reported for the bark. It is also a recognised skin sensitiser/irritant when applied concentrated.
Coumarin
Benzopyrone (lactone)Concentration: Notably high in cassia-type cinnamons including C. burmannii (commonly a few thousand mg/kg in the bark; far higher than in Ceylon cinnamon)
Contributes a sweet hay-like note but is the key safety concern: high, sustained intake can cause dose-dependent hepatotoxicity in susceptible individuals. Regulatory bodies set a tolerable daily intake for coumarin (EFSA TDI 0.1 mg/kg body weight/day), making cassia species like C. burmannii less suitable than Ceylon cinnamon for high daily consumption.
Cinnamyl acetate
Phenylpropanoid esterConcentration: ~2.5–16% of the bark oil
A secondary aroma component adding to the sweet, balsamic character of the oil, with modest antimicrobial activity.
Cinnamyl alcohol
Phenylpropanoid alcoholConcentration: ~2.25–4.6% of the bark oil
Minor fragrance constituent; a precursor/oxidation partner of cinnamaldehyde in the phenylpropanoid pathway.
Cinnamic acid
Phenylpropanoid acidConcentration: ~3–8% of the bark oil
Reported to contribute antimicrobial and antioxidant effects and serves as an oxidation product of cinnamaldehyde.
Eugenol
Phenylpropanoid (phenol)Concentration: Prominent in the leaf oil (~18%); low in bark oil
A clove-like phenol with antiseptic, analgesic and antioxidant properties, characteristic of the leaf rather than the bark essential oil.
Type-A proanthocyanidin (procyanidin) polymers
Condensed tannins / polyphenols (water-soluble fraction)Concentration: Enriched in aqueous bark extracts (the standardised 'Cinnulin PF' fraction is derived from C. burmannii)
These doubly-linked A-type procyanidins are credited with the insulin-potentiating, glucose-lowering activity attributed to water-soluble cinnamon extracts, and unlike the volatile oil they carry little or no coumarin.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Antidiabetic drugs (insulin, metformin, sulfonylureas)
Aqueous C. burmannii extracts (A-type procyanidins) improve insulin sensitivity and lower fasting glucose in clinical studies, so combining concentrated extracts with glucose-lowering medication may have an additive hypoglycaemic effect.
Clinical note: Diabetic patients using standardised cinnamon extracts alongside hypoglycaemic drugs should monitor blood glucose and watch for hypoglycaemia.
Warfarin and other anticoagulants/antiplatelets
The coumarin content of cassia cinnamon has been raised as a theoretical anticoagulant-potentiating factor; natural coumarin itself is not a vitamin-K antagonist like dicoumarol, but high intake plus warfarin is best avoided.
Clinical note: Occasional culinary use is not a concern; monitor if high-dose cinnamon supplements are combined with anticoagulants.
Hepatotoxic drugs (e.g. high-dose acetaminophen/paracetamol, methotrexate)
Coumarin from cassia cinnamon can cause dose-dependent liver injury in sensitive individuals; concurrent hepatotoxic medication could compound the risk with sustained high intake.
Clinical note: Avoid chronic high-dose cassia cinnamon in people with liver disease or on hepatotoxic drugs; prefer low-coumarin (Ceylon) cinnamon or aqueous extracts for regular supplementation.
Preparation Methods
Powdered bark / decoction (culinary and traditional)
Parts: Inner bark (dried quills)
The dried bark is ground as a spice or simmered as a decoction. Because C. burmannii is a coumarin-rich cassia, habitual high daily intake (well above ordinary culinary amounts) is discouraged; the EFSA tolerable daily intake for coumarin is 0.1 mg/kg body weight/day.
Water-soluble (aqueous) standardised extract
Parts: Bark
Aqueous extraction concentrates the A-type procyanidins while largely excluding the fat-soluble coumarin, giving a preparation used at roughly 250–500 mg/day in glucose-control studies. This is the form generally preferred for regular supplementation to limit coumarin exposure.
Essential oil (topical/aromatic)
Parts: Bark, Leaf
The steam-distilled oil (rich in cinnamaldehyde, or eugenol for leaf oil) is used heavily diluted for its aroma and antimicrobial properties. Undiluted bark oil is a potent skin and mucous-membrane irritant/sensitiser and should never be taken neat or applied undiluted.
Clinical Studies
Effects of a Water-Soluble Cinnamon Extract on Body Composition and Features of the Metabolic Syndrome in Pre-Diabetic Men and Women
A standardised water-soluble extract of Cinnamomum burmannii (Cinnulin PF, 500 mg/day) given to pre-diabetic subjects over 12 weeks significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (about an 8% decrease, with ~83% of the active group improving vs 33% of placebo) and improved some body-composition measures, supporting the antidiabetic potential of the aqueous procyanidin fraction.
Historical Texts
Indonesian Jamu traditional medicine
Traditional (Indonesian archipelago; documented in modern ethnobotany)References
- Al-Dhubiab BE. Pharmaceutical applications and phytochemical profile of Cinnamomum burmannii . Pharmacognosy Reviews (2012) [DOI]
- Ziegenfuss TN, Hofheins JE, Mendel RW, Landis J, Anderson RA. Effects of a Water-Soluble Cinnamon Extract on Body Composition and Features of the Metabolic Syndrome in Pre-Diabetic Men and Women . Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (2006) [DOI]
- EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings. Coumarin in flavourings and other food ingredients with flavouring properties — Scientific Opinion (tolerable daily intake 0.1 mg/kg bw/day) . EFSA Journal (2008) [DOI]
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
📝 Notes
Public notes from the community and your own private notes on Batavia cinnamon.
No notes yet.