PinyinRòu Guì
Alias Mǔ Guì (“Bencao”), Zǐ Guì (“Yaoxing Lun”), Dà Guì (“Tang Bencao”), Là Guì (“Renzhai Zhizhi Fang”), Guì Pí (“Bencao Shu”), Yù Guì (“Bencao Qiuyuan”).
Source “Tang Bencao”
Origin The dry bark and branch bark of the Lauraceae plant, Cinnamon. Generally harvested from August to October, the bark is stripped from the tree at a certain width and processed into different specifications, mainly including the following types:
① Guān Guì: The bark of young trees aged 5-6 years is stripped and dried in the shade after being rolled into cylindrical shapes for 1-2 days.
② Qì Biān Guì: The dry bark of trees over ten years old is stripped, with both ends trimmed, and dried between wooden boards.
③ Bǎn Guì: The dry bark of old cinnamon trees is stripped at a height of 30 cm from the ground, and the bark is removed in a ring shape, then dried until 90% dry, stacked and pressed, and completely dried after about a month.
As for “Guì Xīn”, it refers to the edge strips removed during the processing of cinnamon. All types of cinnamon products should be stored in a dry and cool place or sealed in tin boxes.
Habitat Distribution Cultivated in sandy soil and sloped mountainous areas. Distributed in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, etc. Mainly produced in Guangxi, Guangdong, and Yunnan.
Plant Morphology Cinnamon, also known as Guì Mù (“Shan Hai Jing”), Shēn, Mù Guì (“Erya”), Guì Tóng (“Erya” Guo Pu’s note), Cāng Guì.
It is an evergreen tree, 12-17 meters tall. The bark is gray-brown and aromatic, with young branches slightly quadrangular. The leaves are alternate, leathery; elongated oval to nearly lanceolate, 8-17 cm long, 3.5-6 cm wide, with a pointed tip and blunt base, entire margin, green and glossy above, gray-green and covered with fine soft hairs below; with three prominent veins at the base, and fine veins parallel; petioles robust, 1-2 cm long. The inflorescence is axillary or near the apex, 10-19 cm long, covered with short soft hairs; flowers small, about 3 cm in diameter; pedicels about 5 mm long; the corolla tube is about 2 mm long, with 6 lobes, yellow-green, oval, about 3 mm long, densely covered with short soft hairs inside and outside; there are 9 stamens in 3 whorls, the anthers are oblong, 4-locular, with the outer 2 whorls having no glands, the inner whorl facing inward, the 3rd whorl facing outward, with 2 glands at the base of the filaments, and one whorl of degenerate stamens inside, the anthers heart-shaped; the pistil is slightly shorter than the stamens, the ovary is oval, 1-locular, with 1 ovule, the style is slender and nearly equal in length to the ovary, the stigma is slightly disc-shaped. The fruit is oval or obovate, slightly flattened at the tip, dark purple, about 12-13 mm long, with persistent calyx. The seeds are elongated oval and purple. Flowering period is from May to July. The tender branches (Guì Zhī) and immature fruits (Guì Dīng) are also used medicinally, detailed in specific sections.
Properties ① Guān Guì (“Bencao Tujing”)
Also known as: Jūn Guì (“Bencao” one version as Xún Guì), Tǒng Guì (“Tang Bencao”), Guì Er Tōng, Guì Tōng, Tiáo Guì. It is semi-grooved or cylindrical, about 40 cm long, 1.5-3 cm wide, with a thickness of 1-3 mm. The outer surface is gray-brown, with fine wrinkles and small cracks, the bark pores are oval, occasionally with raised transverse lines and gray spots; when the cork is scraped off, the surface is smoother, reddish-brown, commonly referred to as “Guì Xīn”. The inner surface is dark reddish-brown and granular. It is hard and brittle, with a purple-red or brown-red cross-section, showing light-colored stone cell clusters, and the fracture is ring-shaped. It has a fragrant aroma and a sweet-spicy taste.
② Qì Biān Guì
Also known as: Qīng Huà Guì. It is long and flat, with both sides curling inward and the center slightly concave, 40-50 cm long, 4.5-6 cm wide, and 3-6 mm thick. The outer surface is gray-brown, and the inner surface is reddish-brown, showing brown oily patterns when scratched with a fingernail. It has a strong aroma, and other characteristics are similar to Guān Guì.
③ Bǎn Guì (“Bencao Tujing”)
Also known as: Guì Nán. It is plate-like, usually 30-40 cm long, 5-12 cm wide, and about 4 mm thick, with rough ends.
All of the above are best when the bark is fine and the flesh is thick, with a purple-red cross-section, high oil content, strong aroma, sweet and slightly spicy taste, and no residue when chewed.
Toxicity Cinnamon is a hot and spicy herb, and there are records of “slight toxicity” in the herbal texts, so the dosage should not be excessive. There have been reports of dizziness, blurred vision, eye pressure, dry cough, reduced urination, thirst, and rapid pulse after taking 1.2 taels of cinnamon powder at once, which gradually subsided after taking cooling herbs for 1-2 weeks.
Chemical Composition The bark contains volatile oil (known as cinnamon oil) at 1-2%, with the main component being cinnamaldehyde at 75-90%, and contains small amounts of cinnamic acid esters, phenylpropanoids, etc. This product does not contain eugenol. It also contains mucilage, tannins, etc.
Pharmacological Effects ① Effects on the Central Nervous System
Cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon has a significant sedative effect on mice, manifested as reduced spontaneous activity. It counteracts excessive activity caused by methamphetamine, motor coordination issues in the rotarod test, and prolongs the anesthetic time of cyclohexyl barbiturate. It has been proven to have analgesic effects through tail pressure stimulation in mice or intraperitoneal injection of acetic acid to observe twisting movements. It has a cooling effect on normal body temperature in mice and on artificially induced fever caused by typhoid and paratyphoid mixed vaccines. Cinnamaldehyde and sodium cinnamate have antipyretic effects on rabbits induced by thermal stimulation. It can delay the onset of tonic seizures and death caused by strychnine and reduce the incidence of tonic seizures and death caused by nicotine. It is ineffective against those induced by pentobarbital.
② Hypotensive Effect
The combination of Fuzi and cinnamon has a hypotensive effect on rats with adrenal cortical hypertension (model formed by burning one side of the adrenal gland); it has no effect on renal hypertension rats (model formed by ligating the kidney in a figure-eight shape). This effect may be due to the promotion of reduced adrenal activity, bringing it back to normal.
③ Preventive Effect against Schistosomiasis
Mice were orally administered a decoction (unspecified variety) at a dose of 0.2 ml/10 g body weight (10.8 g/180 ml) for 15 days, and there was no preventive effect against schistosomiasis infection on the 3rd day of medication; however, when used in combination with realgar, betel nut, and ferula, there was a certain effect.
④ Other Effects
Cinnamon oil has a strong antibacterial effect, better against Gram-positive bacteria than negative ones. Due to its irritant nature, it is rarely used as an antibacterial drug, but it can be applied externally to treat stomach pain, gastrointestinal bloating, and colicky pain. Internally, it can be used as a stomach tonic and carminative. It also has significant antifungal effects and has been used in a mixture containing 1.5% cinnamon oil and 0.5% thymol to treat tinea capitis. Cinnamaldehyde and sodium cinnamate can cause vasodilation in frog web membranes and increase white blood cells in rabbits.
Preparation Clean impurities, scrape off the rough bark, and crush when used; or scrape off the rough bark, soak in warm water for a moment, slice, and dry.
Meridian Entry Enters the Kidney, Spleen, and Bladder meridians.
① “Zhen Zhu Nang”: “Tai Yang Meridian.” “Foot Shao Yin Meridian.”
② “Lei Gong Pao Zhi Yao Xing Jie”: “Enters the Heart, Spleen, Lung, and Kidney meridians.”
③ “Bencao Jing Shu”: “Enters the Hand and Foot Shao Yin, Jue Yin blood divisions.”
Flavor and Properties Spicy and sweet, hot,
① “Bencao”: “Taste is spicy, warm.”
② “Bielu”: “Taste is sweet and spicy, very hot, with slight toxicity.”
③ “Yaoxing Lun”: “Taste is bitter and spicy, non-toxic.”
④ “Yixue Qiyuan”: “Aroma is hot, taste is very spicy.”
Precautions Contraindicated for those with Yin deficiency and excessive fire, and pregnant women should use with caution.
① “Bielu”: “If combined with ginseng, licorice, Ophiopogon, rhubarb, and Scutellaria, it can regulate the middle and tonify Qi; if combined with Bupleurum, purple quartz, and Rehmannia, it can treat nausea and vomiting.”
② “Yaodui”: “Avoid stone resin.”
③ “Bencao Jing Shu”: “Contraindicated for blood collapse, blood in urine, Yin deficiency with vomiting blood, nasal bleeding, sweating blood, urinary issues due to heat, constipation due to heat, lung heat cough, excessive postpartum bleeding, and various other conditions related to heat and blood deficiency.”
④ “Bencao Tong Xuan”: “Avoid exposure to fire.”
⑤ “De Pei Bencao”: “Contraindicated for phlegm cough, throat pain, blood deficiency with internal dryness, pregnant women, and postpartum heat.”
⑥ “Bencao Qiuzhen”: “Avoid for those with deficiency of essence and blood, and excessive liver fire.”
Functions and Indications Tonifies the Yang, warms the Spleen and Stomach, eliminates cold accumulation, and promotes blood circulation. Treats kidney Yang deficiency, cold limbs, weak pulse, Yang collapse, abdominal pain and diarrhea, cold hernia, low back and knee pain, menstrual disorders, Yin abscess, and floating Yang with upper heat and lower cold.
① “Bencao”: “Indicated for cough and reverse Qi, throat obstruction, joint pain, tonifies the middle and benefits Qi.”
② “Bielu”: “Indicated for heart pain, wind in the flank, flank pain, warms the tendons, promotes circulation, stops restlessness, and sweating. Indicated for warming the middle, benefiting liver and lung Qi, cold diseases in the heart and abdomen, cholera, cramping, headaches, low back pain, stops salivation, cough, and nasal congestion; can induce abortion, strengthen bones and joints, promote blood circulation, and assist in the absorption of other medicines.”
③ “Yaoxing Lun”: “Indicated for various heart pains, expels three worms, breaks blood stasis, promotes menstruation, treats soft feet, numbness, retained placenta, relieves cough and reverse Qi, treats abdominal cold pain, and stops diarrhea; expels plant and animal toxins.”
④ “Rihua Zibencao”: “Treats all wind diseases, tonifies the five labor injuries, opens the nine orifices, promotes joint health, benefits essence, brightens the eyes, warms the low back and knees, breaks up masses, resolves blood stasis, treats wind bi and joint contractions, and promotes muscle growth.”
⑤ “Zhen Zhu Nang”: “Expels wind evil, treats lower abdominal pain in autumn and winter.”
⑥ “Yixue Qiyuan”: “Tonifies the lower jiao deficiency, treats cold shoulder and cold limbs, and stops spontaneous sweating. “Main Treatment Secret”: “Promotes urination and stops thirst.”
⑦ “Yong Yao Xinfa”: “Counters cold evil, treats hernia.”
⑧ Wang Haogu: “Tonifies the deficiency of the Mingmen, benefits fire and dispels Yin.”
⑨ “Gangmu”: “Treats cold bi, wind stroke, Yin excess with blood loss, diarrhea, and shock. Treats Yang deficiency with blood loss, internal abscesses, and can promote blood to transform sweat and pus, and detoxify snake venom.”
Dosage and Administration Internal use: decoction, 0.5-1.5 qian; or in pills or powders. External use: ground into powder for topical application or soaked in alcohol for rubbing.
Formulas ① For kidney Qi deficiency, lower jiao cold, abdominal pain, frequent urination at night, weak legs, fatigue, dark complexion, loss of appetite; foot Qi rising, numbness in the lower abdomen; deficiency fatigue, thirst; low back pain, tightness in the lower abdomen, difficulty urinating; male diabetes with frequent urination; female menstrual issues, etc.: Peony root, white poria, and water plantain each 3 liang, cooked rehmannia 8 liang, shan zhu yu and shan yao each 4 liang, fuzi (processed, peeled, and pitted) and cinnamon (peeled) each 2 liang. Grind into powder, mix with honey to form pills the size of a wutong seed. Take 15-25 pills with warm wine before meals, twice daily. (“Jufang” Eight Flavor Pill, also known as “Jinkui” Kidney Qi Pill)
② For deficiency of original Yang, decline of Mingmen fire, coldness of Spleen and Stomach, reduced appetite, or nausea and bloating; or stomach upset, or fear of cold, or abdominal pain, or loose stools, or frequent urination, or cold hernia, or cold invading the valleys causing joint pain, or cold in the lower jiao causing water retention, and true Yang deficiency with fatigue, palpitations, and inability to gather energy, etc.: Cooked rehmannia 8 liang, shan yao (stir-fried) 4 liang, shan zhu yu (slightly stir-fried) 3 liang, goji berries (slightly stir-fried) 4 liang, deer antler glue (stir-fried) 4 liang, dodder seed (processed) 4 liang, eucommia (stir-fried with ginger soup) 4 liang, angelica 3 liang (avoid if loose stools), cinnamon 2 liang (can gradually increase to 4 liang), processed fuzi 2 liang (can gradually increase to 5-6 liang). First, steam the cooked rehmannia until soft, then grind into a paste, mix with honey to form pills the size of a ball. Chew 2-3 pills with warm white soup. (“Jingyue Quanshu” Right Return Pill)
③ For heat stroke and excessive drinking, causing dampness in the Spleen and Stomach, leading to disordered digestion: Licorice (chopped, 30 jin), dried ginger (stir-fried) 4 jin, apricot kernels (peeled, pointed, sand-fried) 4 jin 4 liang, cinnamon (peeled, roasted) 4 jin. First, stir-fry licorice with white sand until 80% cooked, then add dried ginger and stir-fry until the ginger cracks, then add apricot kernels and stir-fry until they stop making noise, then sift and grind the cinnamon into powder. Take 2 qian, decoct until 70% done, remove residue and take warm. If restless, can mix with well water or take with boiling soup. (“Jufang” Big Foot Powder. Note: The method and dosage of dried ginger and apricot kernels are originally missing, according to “Pujifang” reference to San Yi Decoction)
④ For cold Qi attacking the heart and abdomen, causing nausea and loss of appetite: Guì Xīn 1 liang, high-quality ginger 1 liang (chopped), angelica 1 liang (chopped, slightly stir-fried), cardamom 1.5 liang (peeled), magnolia bark 2 liang (peeled, coated with ginger juice (stir-fried) until fragrant), ginseng 1 liang (remove the fibrous root). Grind the above herbs into powder, take 3 qian with 1 cup of water, decoct until 60% done, remove residue, and take warm. (“Sheng Hui Fang” Guì Xīn Powder)
⑤ For prolonged cold accumulation, causing abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and self-sweating: Piper, cinnamon each 4 jin, dried ginger (stir-fried), high-quality ginger each 6 jin. Grind into fine powder, boil with flour to form pills the size of a wutong seed. Take 20 pills with rice soup before meals. (“Jufang” Big Cold Pill)
⑥ For nine types of heart pain, causing discomfort: Guì Xīn half a liang. Grind into powder, take with a cup of wine, decoct until half a cup, remove residue, and take warm. (“Sheng Hui Fang”)
⑦ For persistent diarrhea: Cinnamon (peeled), fuzi (stir-fried, peeled), dried ginger (stir-fried), red stone resin each 1 liang. Grind the four herbs into powder, mix with honey to form pills the size of a wutong seed, take 20 pills with rice soup before meals, three times a day. (“Sheng Ji Zong Lu” Guì Fu Pill)
⑧ For cold hernia causing abdominal pain: Guì Xīn 4 liang, fresh ginger 3 liang, Wu Zhu Yu 2 liang. Cut the three herbs, add 1 large sheng of wine, decoct until 3 cups remain, remove residue, and divide into three warm doses, to be taken after walking 6-7 li. Avoid raw scallions. (“Yao Sentan’s Collection of Proven Recipes” Zhu Xīn Decoction)
⑨ For hernia and abdominal masses: Cinnamon, dried ginger, and fennel each 5 qian, peony root, wood fragrance, and betel nut each 2 qian, licorice 5 fen; decoct in water. (“Fang Mai Zheng Zong”)
⑩ For true cold low back pain, with tight pulse, blue tongue, contracted scrotum, and shivering: Internal cinnamon 3 qian, fuzi 3-4 qian (use raw fuzi in emergencies), eucommia 2 qian, take warm. (“Hui Yue Yi Jing” Guì Fu Du Zhong Decoction)
⑾ For postpartum abdominal masses: Cinnamon (powder), take with warm wine, 1 tablespoon, three times a day. (“Zhou Hou Fang”)
⑿ For postpartum residual cold, diarrhea with pus and blood, frequent bowel movements, abdominal pain with blood: Guì Xīn and licorice each 2 liang, white honey 1 sheng, dried ginger 2 liang, angelica 3 liang, red stone resin 10 liang (wrapped in cotton), fuzi 1 liang (stir-fried, peeled, broken). Mix the seven herbs with 6 sheng of water, boil to obtain 3 sheng, add honey, boil again, and divide into three doses. (“Qian Jin Yi Fang” Guì Xīn Decoction)
⒀ For children’s diarrhea with red and white: Guì Xīn and Huang Lian in equal parts. Grind into powder, make small pills the size of a mung bean, take 30 pills with rice soup. (“Pujifang” Guì Lian Pill)
⒁ For children’s nocturnal enuresis: Guān Guì (powder) and rooster liver in equal parts. Mash and form pills the size of green beans, take with warm water, three times a day. (“Wan Bing Huan” Guì Gan Pill)
⒂ For wind-heat, bone sores, and all Yin abscesses: Cooked rehmannia 1 liang, cinnamon 1 qian (peeled and ground), ephedra 5 fen, deer antler glue 3 qian, white mustard seed 2 qian, ginger carbon 5 fen, sweet licorice 1 qian. Decoction for oral administration. (“Wai Ke Quan Sheng Ji” Yang He Decoction)
⒃ For trauma and internal bruising: Guì Xīn and angelica each 2 liang, pollen 1 sheng. Grind the three herbs, strain, and take with wine, 1 tablespoon, three times a day, at night one dose. (“Qian Jin Fang”)
⒄ For psoriasis: Guān Guì, ginger, and xixin each 5 fen, and ten blister beetles (crushed). Soak in 3 liang of white wine for seven days, shaking daily, to extract effective components, filter the clear juice, and to moderate the local irritation of the white wine, add 30 ml of glycerin. First, wash the affected area with warm water to soften, then apply the medicinal liquid once a day or every other day. Avoid alcohol and spicy foods. (“Zhong Yao Tong Bao” 1:10, 1957)
⒅ For throat pain and throat obstruction due to Yin deficiency and fire: Cinnamon, dried ginger, and licorice each 5 fen. Grind finely, steep in boiling water, place the bowl in boiling water, steep again, and swallow slowly. First, dip a goose feather in tung oil, insert it into the throat to roll out phlegm, and then take the medicine for better effect. (“Wai Ke Quan Sheng Ji” Du Jiang Decoction)
Clinical Applications Treatment of bronchial asthma: Take 1 gram of cinnamon powder, add 10 ml of anhydrous alcohol, let it sit for 10 hours, then take 0.15-0.3 ml of the supernatant and mix with 2% procaine to 2 ml, inject into both sides of the lung shu points, 1 ml per point. In a study of 21 cases, except for 1 case with no effect and 1 case with reduced symptoms, the rest all achieved control of asthma attacks. Among them, 1 case only needed 2 injections, and asthma did not occur again. Follow-up after one month showed that 5 cases had not relapsed. For those with bronchitis and cough with phlegm, some expectorants such as Platycodon, Fritillaria, Aster, and White Peony root were given. No serious reactions were observed during the treatment, and generally, after injection, only a feeling of warmth in the lung shu area and chest was reported, or dryness in the throat, occasionally with a cinnamon taste in the breath, or slight pain radiating to the back, with a few local injections resulting in small raised lumps the size of a quail egg, with slight tenderness, which generally disappeared after about a week. As a precaution, those with asthma combined with progressive pulmonary tuberculosis, or cardiac insufficiency and severe weakness should avoid use.
Remarks “Bencao” mentions Mǔ Guì and Jūn Guì, while “Ming Yi Bie Lu” also establishes a separate entry for “Guì”. “Bencao Gangmu” considers Guì to be Mǔ Guì and combines the two into one entry. It also states: “Guì is indeed Ròu Guì,” indicating that Mǔ Guì and Ròu Guì are the same. As for Jūn Guì, Tao Hongjing describes it as “perfectly round like bamboo,” while “Tujing” states: “The bark is greenish-yellow, thinly rolled like a scroll, also known as Tǒng Guì.” Therefore, Jūn Guì is likely the same as today’s Guān Guì.
Source: Comprehensive Knowledge of Chinese Herbal Medicine