Contact dermatitis cinnamon

De Benito V, Alzaga R. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis from Cassia (Chinese cinnamon) as a flavouring agent in coffee. Contact Dermatitis 1999 40(3) 165. 

Of about 1000 patients with occupational skin diseases, five had occupational allergic contact dermatitis from spices (11). They were chefs or workers in kitchens, coffee rooms, and restaurants. In all cases the dermatitis affected the hands. The causative spices were garlic, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and clove. The same patients had positive patch-test reactions to carrot, lettuce, and tomato. 

Sage, eucalyptus, turpentine, pine, pennyroyal, and cinnamon contain hydrocarbons, ethers, alcohols, esters, and ketones. These components can cause allergic contact dermatitis, which begins 12 h within sensitization and peaks at 48-72 h. Essential oils are mucosal irritants leading to gastrointestinal distress and salivation. Concentrated formulations of essential oils can cause convulsions and CNS depression at 10 ml doses. Aspiration can cause chemical pneumonitis. Alcohol produces intoxication, which may be complicated by hypoglycemia, especially in children. 

Calnan, C.D. 1976. Cinnamon dermatitis from an ointment. Contact Dermat. 2(3) 167-170. 

Cases of allergic contact dermatitis have been reported in persons that added powdered cinnamon to their coffee. In at least one of the cases, the patient held the coffee in his mouth to cool before swallowing, resulting in increased oral contact with cinnamon (De Rossi and Greenberg 1998). 

Numerous cases of topical contact dermatitis from cinnamon, cinnamon essential oil, and compounds isolated from cinnamon have been reported and confirmed by patch testing (Farkas 1981 Garcia-Abujeta et al. 2005 Goh and Ng 1988 Hartmann and Hunzelmann 2004 Kern 1960 Kirton... 

Farkas, J. 1981. Perioral dermatitis from marjoram, bay leaf and cinnamon. Contact Dermat. 7(2) 121. 

Hartmann, K., and N. Hunzelmann. 2004 Allergic contact dermatitis from cinnamon as an odour-neutralizing agent in shoe insoles. Contact Dermat. 50(4) 253-254. 

Kem, A.B. 1960. Contact dermatitis from cinnamon. Arch. Dermatol. 81 599-600. 

Sanchez-Perez, and A. Garcia-Diez. 1999. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis from eugenol, oil of cinnamon and oil of cloves in a physiotherapist. Contact Dermat. 41(6) 346-347. 

Farkas J (1981) Perioral dermatitis from marjoram, bay leaf and cinnamon. Contact Dermatitis 7 121 Stampf J, Castagnoli N, Epstein W, et al. (1990) Suppression of urushiol-induced delayed-type hypersensitivity responses in mice with serum IgG immunoglobulin from human hyposensitized donors. J Invest Dermatol 95 363-365 Baadsgaard O (1986) Circulating and in situ lymphocyte subsets and Langerhans cells in patients with Compositae oleoresin dermatitis and increased ultraviolet A sensitivity during treatment with azathioprine. J Am Acad Dermatol 14 577-581... 

Apart from its usage in bakery, cooking, confectionery, toothpastes and dentifrices, perfumes, cosmetics and on toothpicks, oil of cinnamon may be incorporated in proprietary medicines. Calnan(57 ) reported 6 patients with an allergic contact dermatitis from the use of a proprietary antiseptic ointment (TCP ointment), containing oil of cinnamon. Three were positive and three negative to balsam of Peru. Two of the latter cases and one other also reacted to cinnamic aldehyde. 

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