Potential role of cinnamon in the prevention and management of diabetic vascular complications in humans

Experimental and human studies proved cinnamon to have some biological activities like those of insulin hormone. It increases glucose uptake by the different cells and increases glycogen storage. It targets PPAR a and. nuclear receptors which affect lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. Also it possesses antioxidant effects. We aim to study the effect of cinnamon on the vascular tree in obese type 2 diabetic patients. Sixteen obese type 2 diabetic female patients, each of them was given 1.8 gm of cinnamon powder in capsule form daily in three divided doses for three weeks. Their fasting serum paraoxonase-1, malondialdehyde, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, Apo C II and Apo C lll were estimated before and after three consecutive weeks of cinnamon intake. Cinnamon significantly increased paraoxonase-1 and reduced malondialdehyde. It reduced total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol. Again, it significantly reduced Apo C ll and decreased Apo C lll. In Conclusion cinnamon can be used as a supplementary agent in the management of atherosclerotic risk conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidemia. Cinnamon tackled several important facets in the process of atherogenesis. It improved the oxidative stress, the lipid profile and the inflammatory state.