Chemical Profile and Biological Activities of The Essential Oil of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl) Twigs and Leaves

The essential oil (EO) from twigs and leaves of Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl are isolated using the steam distillation method. This study aims to investigate physicochemical properties, such as freezing point, acid/saponification/ester value, relative/absolute density, and fragrance retention. Chemical profile of the oil was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and 21 major compounds were detected. The results showed that the highest main component is (E)-cinnamaldehyde (88.05%) with the predominance of phenylpropanoids (90.71%). The antioxidant capacity was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) at 435.961 mg/mL. In addition, the disk diffusion test is used to screen EO for antibacterial activity and the results revealed that the cinnamon EO also possesses excellent antibacterial activities (AA) against several foodborne bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus). Strong bacterial inhibitory effects in the present study show the broad application potential of this material in the food industry in the future.