Research Proves That Cinnamon Is A Potent Antibiotic

by Lizzie Bennett

As far back as 1978 research on cinnamon proved that it had many health giving properties, including those of a natural antibiotic. Why then do we hear nothing about this? At a time when microbiologists across the globe are warning that we face a bleak future as more and more antibiotics fail to cure infections, you would have thought that the properties of this naturally occurring spice would be mentioned a little more often.

An article published by the Applied and Environmental Microbiology department of the US National Library of Medicine said in 1978:

The compound inhibits the growth and toxin production of mycotoxin-producing fungi. The substance completely inhibited the growth of Aspergillus parasiticus and A. flavus at 100 microgram/ml and A. ochraceus and A. versicolor at 200 microgram/ml. It inhibited the production of aflatoxin B1 by over 90% at 6.25 microgram/ml, ochratoxin A at 25 microgram/ml, and sterigmatocystin at 50 microgram/ml. The substance also displayed a strong inhibitory effect on the growth of five dermatophytoses species, e.g., Microsporum canis (minimum inhibitory concentration, 3.12 to 6.25 microgram/ml). However, no antibacterial effect was observed at concentrations as high as 50 microgram/ml.

A highbrow way of saying that a substance in cinnamon kills a wide variety of micro-organisms.

Another study, this one in 1999 stated:

Lead researcher Erdogan Ceylan, M.S., reported that in apple juice samples inoculated with about one million E. coli O157:H7 bacteria, about one teaspoon (0.3 percent) of cinnamon killed 99.5 percent of the bacteria in three days at room temperature (25 C). When the same amount of cinnamon was combined with either 0.1 percent sodium benzoate or potassium sorbate, preservatives approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the E. coli were knocked out to an undetectable level. The number of bacteria added to the test samples was 100 times the number typically found in contaminated food. 

Escherichia Coli 0157 is a major problem causing outbreaks of food poisoning that is very hard to treat with conventional antibiotics yet recent outbreaks have seen dozens dying with no mention of cinnamon being effective against it. The research article is actually entitled “Cinnamon is lethal to E.Coli 0157 H7.”

In 2004 research suggested that cinnamon could be used in the treatment of diabetes as it has the ability to lower blood glucose levels.

Again in 2004 cinnamon oil was shown to kill mosquitoes.

In 2009 cinnamon was shown to be effective against MRSA.

In 2011 cinnamon and garlic were sited as effective antibiotics in chickens.

Natural health practitioners have been saying for years that cinnamon has a wide variety of benefits yet still the average household uses it for nothing more than sprinkling on apples.

Anecdotal evidence going back generations suggest that gargling with a cinnamon mouthwash can alleviate the pain of mouth ulcers and clear throat infections.

Millions of people drink cinnamon and honey tea regularly as part of their general health routine.

Can all these people and all these studies be wrong?

In an increasingly crowded world, where an increasing number of antibiotics are failing, you would think the governments would be falling over themselves to develop cinnamon as a safe, natural alternative that can treat a wide variety of infections. It’s not difficult to grow in the right conditions, and as only the bark is used the tree can be ‘harvested’ many times during its life. It would certainly be a simple matter for almost any government to grow and harvest cinnamon should they choose to.

Contributed by Lizzie Bennett of Underground Medic.

Lizzie Bennett retired from her job as a senior operating department practitioner in the UK earlier this year. Her field was trauma and accident and emergency and she has served on major catastrophe teams around the UK. Lizzie publishes Underground Medic on the topic of preparedness.