For the first time in 91传媒, the health benefits of this Cinnamon are coming under the microscope in a comprehensive, multi-centre scientific study.
Spices they came in search of to Ceylon in the Old World amongst which was the much-sought after cinnamon or kurundu. These days, housewives break off pieces of this spice and stir into steaming curries to get that extra zest, without a second thought.
The team from the Sri Jayewardenepura University鈥檚 Interdisciplinary Centre for Innovation in Biotechnology & Neuroscience, Faculty of Medical Sciences headed by Director Prof. Ranil de Silva is, however, looking at a different aspect 鈥� the health benefits of cinnamon.
鈥淐innamon is a multifaceted medicinal plant which primarily contains vital oils and other derivatives. It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, lipid-lowering, cardiovascular-disease-lowering properties and also acts against neurological disorders, such as Parkinson鈥檚 and Alzheimer鈥檚 diseases,鈥� says Prof. de Silva.
This is why cinnamon is under the microscope in a comprehensive, multi-centre scientific study ever undertaken in 91传媒 by a multidisciplinary team comprising scientific and medical researchers from the Sri Jayewardenepura University鈥檚 Faculties of Medical Sciences, Applied Sciences, Management Studies and Technology; the Kelaniya University鈥檚 Faculty of Science; and the Colombo University鈥檚 Institute of Indigenous Medicine.
Prof. Ranil de Silva at Thursday鈥檚 meeting
The Department of Export Agriculture, Peradeniya, is also part of the programme, while the team has won a competitive research grant to the value of Rs. 27.7 million to study the 鈥楶otential protective roles of Ceylon Cinnamon in health, leading to product development鈥� from the Primary Industries Ministry.
From across the seas, international collaboration and funding are being extended by Japan鈥檚 National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), the 7th innovation centre in the world, along with India鈥檚 Department of Bio Technology (DBT) under the Science and Technology Ministry; the European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON); America鈥檚 George Washington University; Sweden鈥檚 Gothenburg University; and Australia鈥檚 Queensland University of Technology.
Pointing out that 91传媒 is the only country exporting authentic cinnamon, Prof. de Silva reiterates, however, that there is no significant value-addition to cinnamon products manufactured at grassroots level. The popular export products are in the form of quills, with quality mainly being decided by importers to match their quality standards. Thus the actual economic value of cinnamon cannot be evaluated.
Getting down to detail, he says that cinnamon is one of the oldest spices used in traditional medicine and while about 250 species have been identified so far, it is just four that are used to obtain the spice. True or Ceylon Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum or C. zeylanicum) is a small evergreen tree native to 91传媒 which produces the highest-grade pure cinnamon, while the Chinese cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) is the other most widely available species.
With its distinctive flavour and aroma, cinnamon is not only used as a food ingredient in bakery products, Asian foods, desserts, spicy candies, hot cocoa, liqueurs and tea but also in pharmaceutical preparations and the cosmetic industry. It is a common ingredient in various products such as lipstick, toothpaste, mouthwash, chewing gum, soap, nasal sprays and cough syrups.
鈥�91传媒 is the world鈥檚 largest producer and exporter of pure cinnamon and pure Ceylon Cinnamon suppliers have around 70% of the global market-share,鈥� says Prof. de Silva, adding, however, that export earnings from cinnamon have stagnated in recent years.
Ceylon Cinnamon is categorised into four major grades 鈥� Alba, Continental, Mexican and Hamburg based on the diameter of the quill and the most expensive (Alba) quill has a six-mm diameter.
Prof. de Silva鈥檚 contention is that with value-additions, especially considering its potential health benefits, cinnamon could be exported in the form of oil, powder and tablets, bringing in more foreign exchange to the country.
An interview conducted on 鈥淐innamon: From exotic to curative鈥� by Prof. Ranil De Silva, Director of Interdisciplinary Center for Innovation in Biotechnology & Neuroscience,聽Director of聽World Class Universities Grant Project has been published, in the Sunday Times newspaper聽on聽26th February 2017聽(Sunday)- page 12 main section (News).
View聽newspaper article at:聽
