Review Based Upon Ayurvedic and Traditional Uses of Cinnamomum tamala (Tejpatta)
Cinnamomum tamala is an evergreen plant native to Sri Lanka and India. This herbal plant is commonly called Indian cassia, Tejpatta and Indian bay leaf. There are many bioactive constituents isolated from plant Cinnamomum tamala. Leaves of the plant possess aromatic fragrance and are also utilized as a flavoring agent. It is used in food curry, pickles and other spices. Besides food application, the leaves have also been used for curing a number of ailments. All parts of the plant possess many major bioactive chemical constituents like cinnamaldehyde, trans-cinnamaldehyde, 3,4,5,7- tetrahydroxyflavone, 3,3,4,5,6- pentahydroflavone (non-glycoside compounds), kaempferol, eugenol, etc. These phytochemical compounds have many pharmacological activities such as anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, antidiarrheal and immunomodulatory. In the past time, it is also considered for medicinal use. Their medicinal use was also mentioned in the literature of ayurveda, yunani and other traditional systems of medicine. Due to aromatic fragrance, it is also utilized in the perfume industry. The major aim of this review is to give a brief knowledge about the plant Cinnamomum tamala based on their phytochemical constituents, ayurvedic view, folk view and pharmacological application.