Extraction of essential oil from cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)

Abstract

Cinnamomum zeylanicum is one of the herbs and spices plants that come from cinnamon family which contains high quality of essential oil. In this study, the essential oil from plant Cinnamomum zeylanicum was extracted using two methods which were steam distillation and Soxhlex extraction. Steam distillation produced high quality essential oil extraction using separatory funnel. Soxhlet extraction produced essential oil in crude form using rotary evaporator to purify the extracted product. Cinnamon essential oil contains high cinnamaldehyde content which is the main component in cinnamon. The percentage of cinnamaldehyde in essential oil from steam distillation was about 90% and 62-73% from Soxhlet extraction. Cinnamon essential oil has high antimicrobial properties which formed clear zone when tested with gram positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis s.p and a gram negative bacterium Escherichia coli. It also showed antimicrobial properties with two unknown bacteria with unknown characteristics. Cinnamaldehyde contains high antibiotic quality since it is the main compound in cinnamon.