Maturity dependence of quality, quantity and chemical constituents of bark and leaf oil of Ceylon Cinnamon (<em>Cinnamomum zeylanicum</em> Blume)

Abstract

The maturity dependence of quality and quantity of bark and leaf oils of Ceylon Cinnamon were studied. Both genetic factors and ecological factors were maintained constant using two accessions of Ceylon Cinnamon, Sri Gamunu and Sri Vijaya, vegetatively cultivated at a field in the same agroecological zone, IL1a (6 0 1.7820N'; 80 0 33.4990'E; 22.3 amsl.). Three maturity stages of plants, more than 5 years, between 2-2.5 years, and between 1.5-2 years, were used. Morphological analysis in two varieties showed that stick weight, bark dry weight, and leaf dry weight per stick were not significantly different in two varieties at the significance level α = 0.05. When compared the oil contents, Sri Gamunu had a higher oil yield than Sri Vijaya and both showed significantly higher yield at maturity stage of 2-2.5 years which was about the customarily identified maturity for harvesting (~2 years). In Sri Gamunu, about 78 % of bark oil consists of cinnamaldehyde and cinnamyl acetate while those in Sri Vijaya accounts only about 63% with higher content of eugenol and benzyl benzoate. In contrast, eugenol was the major component in leaf oil of cinnamon, which accounts for about 80 % and 87% in Sri Gamunu and Sri Vijaya, respectively. The study revealed that the best maturity stage to harvest both varieties of cinnamon is 2-2.5 years of maturity for maximum quality and quantity of cinnamon bark oil.

Essential Oil Chemotypes and Genetic Variability of Cinnamomum verum Leaf Samples Commercialized and Cultivated in the Amazon

“…The highest oil content (1.9–2.5%) was observed for the samples (Cve4, Cve5, and Cve9-c) that presented the chemotype eugenol (>85%). The leaves of two varieties of C. verum chemotype-eugenol, collected in Sri Lanka, showed yields ranging from 2% to 3.90% [ 32 , 33 ]. The leaves of a 2-year-old C. verum , collected in China, with a high percentage of eugenol (>90%), presented a yield of 5.81% [ 34 ].…”

“…Therefore, one should consider that these chemotypes may result from the plant genotype, considering the season, the weather, and the collection site [ 35 ]. Eugenol is the most common chemotype identified in C. verum leaves [ 18 , 33 , 36 ]. In Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Cameroon, and India, the eugenol concentrations of the leaves of C. verum are around 80–90% [ 32 , 33 , 37 , 38 , 39 ].…”

“…Eugenol is the most common chemotype identified in C. verum leaves [ 18 , 33 , 36 ]. In Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Cameroon, and India, the eugenol concentrations of the leaves of C. verum are around 80–90% [ 32 , 33 , 37 , 38 , 39 ]. On the other hand, more significant variations in eugenol content (64.20–95.0%) are observed in the specimens of C. verum collected in Brazil [ 18 , 30 , 40 , 41 ].…”

Aqueous Extract of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.): Role in Cancer and Inflammation

“…78% of Sri Gamunu bark oil was cinnamyl acetate and cinnamaldehyde, while only 63% of Sri Vijaya contained these active ingredients. Sri Vijaya had higher levels of benzyl benzoate and eugenol [ 45 ]. Processing of plants affects the total phenol content of the spice.…”

Enhancement of high-quality cinnamon quill production through agronomic approaches: a review

“…Immature cinnamon bark is green in color, which turns brown with maturity. Brown-colored mature bark contains high amounts of cinnamaldehyde and other preferable secondary metabolites, including eugenol, cinnamyl acetate, benzyl benzoate, β-linalool, β-phellandrene, caryophyllene, β-phellandrene, and α-terpinene [22,23]. Simultaneously, mature bark is easy to detach from the stem in order to produce the best-quality cinnamon quills.…”