The genus Cinnamomum

84 U.M. Senanayake and R.O.B. Wijesekera
constituents in stem bark oil and root bark oil, respectively. The cinnamaldehyde
content varies from 60 to 80% in the stem bark oil, and camphor comprises
about 60% of root bark oil. All three oils possess the same array of monoterpene
hydrocarbons, but in different proportions (Table 3.1). The important components
are represented in Fig. 3.1. GLC analyses of the steam distilled oil of cinnamon bark
were carried out by Zurcher et al. (1974) and they prepared a model mixture using
the pure substances in the same ratio as found in the bark oil. They obtained an identical
GLC profile and identical 33 compounds in Sri Lanka cinnamon oil (Table 3.1).
By comparing the GLC profile of the model mixture with those from oils of
cinnamon quills, chips and feathering it was possible to differentiate each type of oil.
The same model mixture was used to distinguish commercial Chinese cassia oil from
those of commercial cinnamon.
The volatiles of C. cassia and C. camphora have also been subjected to detailed analysis.
Unlike C. verum, from which two types of commercial oils are obtained (Wijesekera,
1978), only one type is obtained for both C. cassia and C. camphora, where leaves
and barks are distilled together (Guenther, 1950; Brown, 1956; Baruah et al., 1975;
Senanayake, 1977) (Tables 3.2 and 3.3) (see chapter on Chinese/Indonesian cassia and
camphor for details).
Table 3.2 Volatile constituents identified and their relative abundance in C. cassia oil
No. Peak Compound Relative %
retention time
(min) Leaf oil Bark oil Bark oil
A A B
1 8.6 -Pinene 0.03 0.05 tr
2 9.3 Camphene 0.02 tr tr
3 10.6 -Pinene 0.02 tr tr
4 10.8 Sabinene 0.02 tr –
5 13.1 1,8-Cineol 0.12 0.7 tr
6 14.8 -Terpinene tr tr –
7 15.8 p-Cymene tr – –
8 16.7 Terpinolene 0.03 tr tr
9 17.4 Unkown tr tr –
10 17.7 Unknown tr tr –
11 18.3 n-Hexanol 0.13 tr 0.03
12 18.9 Unknown tr tr –
13 19.9 3-Hexen-1-o1 1.09 tr –
14 20.9 Fenchone 0.48 tr –
15 21.3 Unknown tr tr –
16 23.0 Furfural tr tr –
17 25.7 Unknown 0.02 tr –
18 26.3 Nonaldehyde 0.08 0.16 0.05
19 27.2 Benzaldehyde 2.68 4.73 1.16
20 28.4 Linalool 0.02 0.13 –
21 31.3 Unknown tr tr tr
22 31.7 Terpinen-4-o1 0.07 0.04 0.07
23 32.2 Unknown tr 0.05 tr
24 33.1 Methylbenzoate 0.04 tr tr
25 33.8 Guaiacol 0.13 0.45 0.01
26 34.2 Unknown tr tr tr
27 35.4 -Humulene tr tr tr