Cinnamon Bark (Rou gui)
Modern sources record safety concerns for this herb. Reference information, not a diagnostic or treatment recommendation.
Modern sources record use restrictions for cinnamon bark (rou gui). The WHO monograph on Cortex Cinnamomi — which covers Cinnamomum verum and Cinnamomum cassia, the species of rou gui — states that it is contraindicated in cases of fever of unknown origin, during pregnancy, in stomach or duodenal ulcers, and in patients with an allergy to cinnamon or Peru balsam. This is reference information drawn from modern sources, not a diagnostic or treatment recommendation.
Warms the centre and supplements the life-gate fire of the lower origin, dispels cold and frees the blood vessels to relieve cold pain. Marked toxic in the source's flavour note.
Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷三十四·木部·桂（肉桂）·主治（《别录》）
- functions_en self-translated from 本草纲目 traditional_functions (public domain; the Chinese tf carries verbatim excerpt_hash citations). No modern work consulted.
- WHO IST-TCM terminology-aligned for the English rendering.
- public pharmacopoeia & botanical facts (public-domain reference facts; no proprietary modern source).
Classical source text (Chinese) — English summary above.
传统中医记载：《别录》载桂主利肝肺气、心腹寒热冷疾、霍乱转筋、头痛腰痛出汗、止烦止唾、温中、坚筋骨、通血脉、宣导百药；张元素谓补下焦不足、治沉寒痼冷之病、去营卫中风寒；王好古谓补命门不足、益火消阴；李时珍谓治寒痹风喑、阴盛失血、泻痢惊痫。
Nature & flavor: 甘、辛，大热，有小毒（《别录》）；张元素谓肉桂气热、味大辛、纯阳也；李杲谓气厚者桂肉、下行而补肾。·Meridians: 肾（足少阴·血分）, 脾（足太阴·血分）
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·香木类·桂（《别录》上品·时珍：此即肉桂也）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·牡桂（其去内外皮者即为桂心）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its alternate names.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂（肉桂）·气味（《别录》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·气味（张元素·肉桂气热味大辛纯阳）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·发明（王好古·桂肉入足少阴太阴经血分）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its meridian tropism.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂（肉桂）·主治（《别录》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂（肉桂）·主治（张元素）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂（肉桂）·主治（王好古）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·气味（之才·忌生葱石脂）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂（肉桂）·主治（《别录》·堕胎温中）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.