All about kalingag tree

Kalingag

The scientific name of the kalingag tree is Cinnamomum mercadoi Vidal.

Scientific names Common names
Cinamomum mercadoi Vidal Kaliñgad (Pamp.)
Cinamomum zeylanicum F.-Vill. Kalingag (Tag., Pamp., Mbo., S.L. Bis.)
Cinamomum tamala F.-Vill. Kalingak (Tag.)
Cinamomum iners Vidal Kandoroma (Ilk.)
  Kanila (Bik., Ilk., Pang.)
  Kanilaw (Bik.)
  Kaniñgag (C. Bis.)
  Kariñgag (Bis.)
  Kariñganat (Neg.)
  Kasiu (Ilk.)
  Kuliuan (Neg.)
  Makaliñgag (Tag.)
  Marobo (S.L. Bis.)
  Samiling (Tag.)
  Similing (Tag.)
  Uliuan (Neg.)mercadoi
  Kalingag tree (Engl.)
There is much disagreement among taxonomic databases on the synonymy of Cinnamomum species.
Quisumbing’s compilation lists four cinnamomum species: C. iners (namog), C, mercadoi (C. zeylanicum F.-Vill, kalingag), C. mindanense (kami) and C. zeylanicum Blume (canela).
Kaliñgag is a shared common name by two Cinnamomum species: C. zeylanicum and C. mindanense (nami).

Cinnanomum is one of the oldest herbal medicines known, mentioned in China medicinal texts as far back as 4,000 years ago and used medicinally in Egypt around 500 BC.

Kaliñgag is a small tree, 6 to 10 meters high. Bark is thick and aromatic. The leaves are opposite or sub-opposite, smooth, pale green, subglaucous beneath, shining above, ovate- oblong to to broadly lanceolate, occasionally subelliptic, 8 to 20 centimeters long, 4 to 6 centimeters wide, pointed at both ends, borne upon petioles 5 to 15 millimeters long. Blade is 3-plinerved. Inflorescence is erect, growing from the uppermost leaf axils, about 10 centimeters long. Calyx is canescent and turbinate. Petals are smooth and scarcely exerted. Fruit is smooth, narrowly ellipsoid, about 2 centimeters long, surrounded to the middle by a persistent calyx.

Distribution

– Found only in the Philippines, from the Babuyan Islands and northern Luzonn to Mindanao.

– In forests, at low and medium altitudes, sometimes to 2000 meters.

Properties

– Diaphoretic, parasiticide, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, analgesic, diuretic.

– Bark is carminative, stimulant, astringent, aromatic, antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral, and rubifacient.

– Cinnamaldehyde possesses analagesic, antifungal, and antidiarrheal effects. The essential oils from the bark are active against Aspergillus parasiticus growth. (Professional Guide to Complementary & Alternative Therapies)

Constituents

– The medicinal element is the oil extracted from the bark, especially from young trees, and the leaf.

– Cinnamaldehyde is the essential oil that accounts for 65% to 80% of the herb.

– One study of the bark reported the oil to be almost entirely safrol, remarkable in that most oil from other Cinnamomum species contain only small amount of safrol and large percentages of cinnamic aldehyde.

Parts used and preparation

Bark, leaves.

Uses
Folkloric traditional medicine remedies, benefits and uses

– Decoction or infusion of the bark used for loss of appetite, bloating, vomiting, flatulence, toothache, headaches, rheumatism, dysentery, to help expel flatus and to facilitate menses; colds, fevers, sinus infections and bronchitis.

Powdered bark: one heaping teaspoon to a cup of boiling water, 4 cups daily. For flatulence, stronger doses used, 2 tbsp for adults, 1 tsp for children.

– Bark chewed for stomach troubles; also used in tuberculosis.

– Decoction of leaves also used for expeling gas.

– Used for diarrhea, menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea.

– Paste prepared from the bark is applied locally for neuralgic pains and severe headaches.

– Candida and other yeast infections.

– Used for treatment of scabies and lice.

– In Ayurveda, cinnamomum is used for diabetes, indigestion, and colds.

Kalingag

Kalingag preparation recipe 

Decoction: – One heaping teaspoon of powdered bark to a cup of boiling water; or, 0.5 to 1 g of bark to 7 oz of boiling water fir 5-10 minutes, then steep.

Tincture: Moisten 200 parts of cinnamon bark evenly with ethanol and percolate to produce 1,000 parts of tincture. Use 3-4 cc three times daily.

Other uses

– A popular spice and flavoring agent.

– With its strong sassafras odor and taste, used as an ingredient of root beers.

Scientific study research on kalingag 

Cinnamomum mercadoi / Phytochemicals / Antimicrobial / Analgesic / Toxicity Testing:

Phytochemical screening of crude methanol extract yielded saponins, condensed tannins, an unsaturated lactone rine and leucoanthocyanins. The crude extract showed antimicrobial activity with moderate activity against S. aureus and strong. antifungal activity against Microsporum canis. Study also showed an analgesic activity comparable with aspirin. On acute oral toxicity testing, the mice sacrificed after 14 days had grossly normal findings.

Availability

Wild-crafted.

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