Twak

BOTANICAL NAME: Cinnamomum zeylanica

FAMILY: Lauraceae

Sushrut- Eladivarga

ENGLISH NAME: Cinnamon

COMMON NAME:

Hindi Name– Dalchini

EnglishName– Cinnamon

TeluguName– Lavangapatt

REFERENCE: BHAVAPRAKASH SAMHITA with link e Nighantu:

https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/e-Nighantu/bhavaprakashanighantu/?mod=read

त्वक्स्वाद्वी तु तनुत्वक्स्यात्तथा दारुसिता मता |
उक्ता दारुसिता स्वाद्वी तिक्ता चानिलपित्तहृत् |
सुरभिः शुक्रला वर्ण्या मुखशोषतृषापहा ||५७||

HABITAT:

Found wild in the southern coastal region of western India. The main source of cinnamon is Srilanka. Also grows in Brahmadesha, China, Southern India and Himalayas. Found wild in the southern coastal region of western India. The main source of cinnamon is Srilanka. Also grows in Brahmadesha, China, Southern India and Himalayas.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION:

A small evergreen tree, 6.1-7.6 m high. Bark- brown and rough (in aged trees); 16 cm thick, inner surface of commercial bark is somewhat darker than the outer and finely striated longitudinally. Leaves are coriaccous, glaucous green above, with spicy odour when bruised, 3-5 veined, 10.2-21.3 cm. long. Flowers are small, with disagreeable smell. Fruits are ellipsoidal, 1-seeded, dark purple berry,1.3-2.5 cm long. Flowering and Fruiting during the spring.

MAJOR CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS: Cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, benzaldehyde, methyl alnyl ketone, phellandrene, pinene, cymene, linalool, cumic aldehyde, caryophyllene, safrole, methyl evgenol, borneol, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnzeylanin, cinnzeylanol.

THERAPEUTIC USES:

• Cough – Powders of Tvak, Ela, Pippali, Tavaksiri and sugar (each double than the other in quantity) are mixed together and taken with honey.
• Headache – Nasya with Tvak Kalka, Patra and Sarkara along with ice-water is useful in Pittajasirasua
• Dysentery – Tvak powder is given in 1 g dose.

USEFUL PART: Stem bark, oil, leaves

DOSAGE: Powder: 2-4 g; oil: 2-5 drops

AYURVEDIC FORMULATION:

1. Eladirasayana

2. Sitopaladichurna

3. Samasakarachurna