Cinnamomum mercadoi
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| Cinnamomum mercadoi | |
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| Species: | C. mercadoi
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| Cinnamomum mercadoi | |
The Kaliñgag, Cinnamomum mercadoi, is a small tree, about 6 to 10 metres (20 to 33 ft) high, with a thick, aromatic bark. The plant part of the Lauraceae family and is related to culinary cinnamon, sassafras, and the bay tree. The plant is indigenous to the Philippines, where it grows best in forests at low and medium altitudes that sometimes ascend to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). Cinnanomum is one of the oldest herbal medicines known, dating back to as far as 4,000 years ago, as mentioned in Chinese medical texts, and was used medicinally in Egypt around 500 BC. The C. mercadoi is unusual in the cinnamon family in that its essential oil consists large amounts of safrol, whereas other oils of cinnamon contain cinnamaldehyde. It is currently listed in the IUCN Red List as "vulnerable."
Distribution
C. mercadoi is only found in the Philippines, from the Babuyan Islands and northern Luzon to Mindanao.
Habitat and ecology
Like other Cinnamomum species, C. mercadoi plants are variable in the height, shape, size, and texture of the leaves. They typically grow in primary and secondary forests with altitudes of about 300 to 700 metres (980 to 2,300 ft)[1] but are able to ascend to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). They grow best in pH levels of about 4 to 5 and their seeds are mainly dispersed via birds such as the fruit-specialized hornbills which account for the scattered distribution and regeneration of the tree species across the island.
Morphology
The leaves of the C. mercadoi are simple, opposite or subopposite, smooth, pale green, ovately-oblong or broadly lanceoloate. The leaves are also sometimes subelliptic, usually 8 to 20 centimeters long and 4 to 6 centimeters wide, and are pointed at both ends, with petioles 5 to 15 millimeters long.
Flowers and fruit
The flowers of the C. mercadoi are greenish-yellow and include in terminal or subterminal panicles up to 15 centimeters long. The fruits are ellipsoid-shaped, seated on a bowl-shaped perianth cup, and are usually 12 x 8 millimeters in dimension. The seeds are smooth and are narrow to elliptic-shaped. [2]
Usage
Food
The sassafras aroma and taste that the leaves and bark of the C. mercadoi may be added to root beers to give them flavor. [3]
Medicinal
There are several medicinal properties of C. mercadoi including its usage as a(n) diaphoretic, parasiticide, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, analgesic, and diuretic.[4] The bark of C. mercadoi has traditionally been used in medicine in the Philippines. In 1668, the Jesuit Ignatio Francisco Alzina reported that eating it aided digestion and since then, it has been employed to treat digestive troubles. The decocotion of the leaves is a remedy for flatulence and menstrual problems in women. It was also employed for respiratory diseases as an expectorant and against tuberculosis. Finally, the bark has been applied as a treatment for headaches and rheumatism and as a rubefacient.[5]
Other Usage
In a study by Bacon (1909), one of the earliest chemical studies on the C. mercadoi reported the presence of essential oil, oleoresin, and resin. It was discovered that the oil primarly contained safrole and a further study conducted by Concha (1966), sshowed that the volatile oil and safrole were found in the leaves, bark, and roots of the plant. Sapogenin was also found to be present in the leaves and seeds of the C. mercadoi, as was reported by Anzaldo (1958). Phytochemical screening of the crude methanol extract of the plant indicated the presence of saponins, condensed tannins, an unsaturated lactone ring, and leucoanthocyanins.
References
- ^ Melvin Lippe. "Habitat requirements and population structure of selected multipurpose-tree species of primary rainforests..." (PDF). Center for Agriculture in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
- ^ "Cinnamomum mercadoi vidal". ASEAN Tropical Plant Database. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
- ^ "Kalingag". Stuartxchange. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
- ^ "Kalingag". Stuartxchange. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
- ^ Torres, Rosalinda C.; Sison, Fe M.; Ysrael, Mafel C. (2003). "Phytochemical Screening and Biological Studies on the Crude Methanol Extract of Cinnamomum mercadoi, Vidal" (PDF). Philippine Journal of Science. 132 (1): 27–32.
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