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Review
. 2015 Sep 11;7(9):7729-48.
doi: 10.3390/nu7095359.

Antibacterial Effects of Cinnamon: From Farm to Food, Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical Industries

Seyed Fazel Nabavi  1 , Arianna Di Lorenzo  2 , Morteza Izadi  3 , Eduardo Sobarzo-Sánchez  4 , Maria Daglia  2 , Seyed Mohammad Nabavi  1
Affiliations
Review

Antibacterial Effects of Cinnamon: From Farm to Food, Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical Industries

Seyed Fazel Nabavi et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Herbs and spices have been used since ancient times, because of their antimicrobial properties increasing the safety and shelf life of food products by acting against foodborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria. Plants have historically been used in traditional medicine as sources of natural antimicrobial substances for the treatment of infectious disease. Therefore, much attention has been paid to medicinal plants as a source of alternative antimicrobial strategies. Moreover, due to the growing demand for preservative-free cosmetics, herbal extracts with antimicrobial activity have recently been used in the cosmetic industry to reduce the risk of allergies connected to the presence of methylparabens. Some species belonging to the genus Cinnamomum, commonly used as spices, contain many antibacterial compounds. This paper reviews the literature published over the last five years regarding the antibacterial effects of cinnamon. In addition, a brief summary of the history, traditional uses, phytochemical constituents, and clinical impact of cinnamon is provided.

Keywords: antibacterial activity; cinnamaldehyde; cinnamon; eugenol; infectious diseases; spice.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Polyphenolic constituents of cinnamon.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Major and minor chemical compounds of cinnamon essential oil.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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