Age Ayurveda Nighantu

Tejapatra

Cinnamomum tamala

Tejapatra (Cinnamomum tamala) is a plant used in Ayurveda. Undergoes hepatic glucuronidation and sulfation. Cinnamaldehyde, when present, has good absorption but is rapidly metabolized to cinnamic acid and subsequently to hippuric acid.

Key facts
Botanical nameCinnamomum tamala
FamilyLauraceae · other entries in this family
OrderLaurales
Also known asTejpatra, Tejapatra, Tamalpatra, Tamala Patra, Patra, Cinnamomum tamala
Taxon identifiersGBIF 9128079 · Wikidata Q1661611 · NCBI Taxonomy 397098

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishTejapatra

Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)

PropertyValueDescription
Rasa (Taste)Katu, MadhuraPrimary taste
Guna (Quality)Laghu, TikshnaPhysical quality
Virya (Potency)UshnaHeating/Cooling effect
Vipaka (Post-digestive)KatuPost-digestive effect

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kwatha (decoction), Essential oil, Capsule, Tablet, Tincture, Infusion

Standard Dosage: 1-3 g powder twice daily; 30-60 mL decoction twice daily; 1-2 drops essential oil in warm water

Bioavailability: Eugenol (primary constituent) exhibits rapid oral absorption with bioavailability of approximately 45-55%. Undergoes hepatic glucuronidation and sulfation. Cinnamaldehyde, when present, has good absorption but is rapidly metabolized to cinnamic acid and subsequently to hippuric acid. Proanthocyanidins from the aqueous fraction have low oral bioavailability (<10%).

Optimal Timing: After meals for digestive benefits; morning and evening dosing

Standardized Extract: Essential oil standardized to >55% eugenol by GC-FID; hydroethanolic extract standardized to >4% total polyphenols

Shelf Life: Dried leaves: 12 months; Essential oil: 24-36 months; Capsules/Tablets: 24 months; Tincture: 36 months

Storage: Airtight, light-resistant containers at 15-25 deg C. Essential oil in amber glass under inert atmosphere. Dried leaves away from moisture and strong odors.

Marker Compounds: Eugenol, Cinnamaldehyde, Linalool, alpha-Phellandrene, p-Cymene, beta-Caryophyllene, Cinnamyl acetate

Extraction Methods

  • Steam distillation for essential oil
  • Hydroethanolic extraction (60-70% ethanol)
  • Aqueous decoction
  • Supercritical CO2 extraction
  • Hydrodistillation

Synergistic Combinations

  • Dalchini (Cinnamomum verum) - complementary glycemic-management volatile profiles
  • Ela (cardamom) - digestive synergy
  • Lavanga (clove) - overlapping eugenol potentiation
  • Maricha (black pepper) - absorption enhancement

Published research

Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.

Randomised controlled trials1

  1. Konda MR, Alluri KV, Janardhanan PK and others. 2018. Combined extracts of Garcinia mangostana fruit rind and Cinnamomum tamala leaf supplementation enhances muscle strength and endurance in resistance trained malesJournal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. PMID 30348185 · doi:10.1186/s12970-018-0257-4

Other clinical studies and reviews3

  1. Shamabadi A, Akhondzadeh S. 2021. Advances in Alternative and Integrative Medicine in the Treatment of Depression: A Review of the EvidenceArchives of Iranian medicine. PMID 34196207 · doi:10.34172/aim.2021.59
  2. Arshad W, Khan HMS, Akhtar N and others. 2020. Assessment of changes in biophysical parameters by dermocosmetic emulgel loaded with Cinnamomum tamala extract: A split-faced and placebo-controlled studyJournal of cosmetic dermatology. PMID 31680410 · doi:10.1111/jocd.13198
  3. Sharma V, Rao LJ. 2014. An overview on chemical composition, bioactivity and processing of leaves of Cinnamomum tamalaCritical reviews in food science and nutrition. PMID 24236996 · doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.587615

Laboratory and animal studies8

  1. Kumar Chaudhary S, Kharlyngdoh E, Shukla JK and others. 2024. Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Activities of Indian Bay Leaf (Cinnamomum tamala (Buch.-Ham.) T. Nees & Eberm.) Essential Oils Collected from MeghalayaChemistry & biodiversity. PMID 39075867 · doi:10.1002/cbdv.202400879
  2. Champati BB, Das PK, Sahoo C and others. 2024. Chemical fingerprinting and multicomponent quantitative analysis for quality control of Cinnamomum tamala collected from Western Himalaya by HPLC-DADHeliyon. PMID 38737243 · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30361
  3. Mohanty D, Padhee S, Jena S and others. 2024. Exploration of Pharmacological Mechanism of Cinnamomum tamala Essential Oil in Treating Inflammation based on Network Pharmacology, Molecular Modelling, and Experimental ValidationCurrent pharmaceutical design. PMID 39171467 · doi:10.2174/0113816128342075240816104654
  4. Rawat A, Bhatt D, Kholiya S and others. 2023. Comparative Chemical Composition and Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) Inhibitory Potential of Cinnamomum camphora and Cinnamomum tamalaChemistry & biodiversity. PMID 37533252 · doi:10.1002/cbdv.202300666
  5. Singh BK, Chaudhari AK, Das S and others. 2022. Preparation and characterization of a novel nanoemulsion consisting of chitosan and Cinnamomum tamala essential oil and its effect on shelf-life lengthening of stored milletsPesticide biochemistry and physiology. PMID 36127040 · doi:10.1016/j.pestbp.2022.105214
  6. Dodda S, Alluri VK, Golakoti T and others. 2020. Acute, Subacute, and Genotoxicity Assessments of a Proprietary Blend of Garcinia mangostana Fruit Rind and Cinnamomum tamala Leaf Extracts (CinDura®)Journal of toxicology. PMID 32802054 · doi:10.1155/2020/1435891
  7. Dumbre RK, Kamble MB, Patil VR. 2014. Inhibitory effects by ayurvedic plants on prostate enlargement induced in ratsPharmacognosy research. PMID 24761116 · doi:10.4103/0974-8490.129031
  8. Singh TN, Upadhyay BN, Tewari CM and others. 1985. Management of diabetes mellitus (prameha) with inula racemosa and cinnamomum tamalaAncient science of life. PMID 22557492

Available from Age Ayurveda

This encyclopedia is published by Age Ayurveda. The products below are ours, and are listed here because they contain or use what this page describes.

  • Acid ReliefTraditionally used to support comfortable digestion after meals.

Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.

Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.