Potentials of Cinnamon in Microbial Control

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), is one of the highly prized fragrant spice that has been in use since biblical times for its medicinal and culinary properties.This novel spice is native to Sri Lanka but also found in many other countries. It is the bark of the tree from where aromatic essential oil (makes up 0.5% to 1% of its composition) is extracted.Cinnamon or Dalchini or Kirfa has antimicrobial, anti-clotting, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, diuretic, and aphrodisiac properties.In addition, cinnamon oil has astringent, antiseptic and carminative qualities. Considering the above facts our study was carried out to observe & evaluate the effect of extracts from cinnamon bark against microbial population considering both bacterial & fungal forms. Cinnamon extracts using dichloromethane, ethanol, acetone and ethyl acetate as solvents were obtained using Soxhlet apparatus and considered for tests against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium notatum, Mucor indicus and Trichoderma viride. Observations showed positive results by appearance of clear zone of inhibition on cultured petri plates for bacteria and fungi in case of polar solvents.