ABSTRACT
Cassia oil is the essential oil obtained from the leaves, twigs and terminal branchlets of the Chinese cinnamon, Cinnamomum cassia J. Presl. Cassia bark is widely used in pharmaceutical preparations, seasonings, cosmetics, foods, drinks, commodity essences, and chemical industries. It is considered to have medicinal properties, such as antioxidant, anti-allergic, antimicrobial, anti-tumorigenic, carminative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic. It is commonly used as traditional Chinese medicine for treating chronic bronchitis, gastritis, impotence, dyspnea, blood circulation disturbances, inflammatory diseases, rheumatism and neurodynia. Cassia oils are not used in aromatherapy because of the risk of dermal sensitization. Cassia oil is a mobile liquid with yellowish to reddish brown color, which has a spicy sweet odor, reminding of cinnamon bark. Contact allergy to/allergic contact dermatitis from cassia oil has been reported in a few publications. Most case reports were patients with oral symptoms, cheilitis and/or perioral dermatitis from contact allergy to cassia oil in toothpastes.
