Cinnamomum aromaticum (bark)

Nomenclature

Cinnamomum aromaticum Nees   Lauraceae  
Syn. Cinnamomum cassia auct.  
Standardized common name (English): cassia  
Pinyin name(s): rou gui; rou gui (bark); gui zhi (twig)

Organoleptic Characteristics

Color Cinnamon brown (reddish brown).  Scent Fragrant, aromatic, very characteristic.  Flavor Sweet, pungent, somewhat astringent. Source: Schneider, A. (1921) The Microanalysis of Powdered Vegetable Drugs, 2nd ed.

Macroscopic Characteristics

Source: PlantaPhile

Microscopic Characteristics

Cassia (bark) (Cinnamomum aromaticum) (Cinnamomum cassia auct.)Rather short, thick walled bast cells sclerenchyma with cell walls unequally thickened parenchyma cells with compound starch granules; cells with numerous small prismatic crystals; large resin bearing cells; cells of outer bark suberized and with reddish brown contents. Cassia bark contains relatively more starch than do the other varieties of cinnamon barks and relatively less bast tissue. Source: Schneider, A. (1921) The Microanalysis of Powdered Vegetable Drugs, 2nd ed. Source: Schneider, A. (1921) The Microanalysis of Powdered Vegetable Drugs, 2nd ed.

High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Identification

Cinnamomum aromaticum HPTLC UV 254 nm Cassia (bark) (Cinnamomum aromaticum Nees) Lane Assignments Lane 2(3μl) Cinnamomum aromaticum / Cinnamomum cassia (bark); Lane 3(3μl) Cinnamomum aromaticum / Cinnamomum cassia (bark); Lane 6(3μl) Cinnamomum verum (bark); Lane 7(3μl) Cinnamomum verum (bark) authenticated by macroscopic, microscopic &/or TLC studies according to the reference source cited below, held at Alkemists Pharmaceuticals, Costa Mesa, CA.  Stationary Phase Silica gel 60, F254, 10 x 10 cm HPTLC plates  Mobile Phase toluene: ethyl acetate [9.5/0.5]  Sample Preparation Method 0.3g+3mL CH3OH sonicate/heat @~50° C ~ 1/2 hr.  Detection Method Image 1 UV 254 nm; Image 2 10% Ethanolic KOH Reagent 365 nm  Reference see Method Developed by Alkemist Laboratories Cinnamomum aromaticum HPTLC UV 254 nm Cinnamomum aromaticum HPTLC 10% Ethanolic KOH Reagent 365 nm Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories