Evaluation of the effect of Cinnamomum cassia oil on markers of oxidative stress and its modification in gene expression in a diabetic rat model induced with alloxane.

Introduction and Objectives

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a chronic hyperglycemia disorder presenting alteration of biochemical markers, proinflammatory activity, and oxidant stress (OS). There are treatments for DM but they can have adverse effects, so plants are an alternative to new therapeutic compounds. Cinnamomum cassia (cinnamon) has been shown to have antidiabetic and antioxidant activity. The objetive of this study was to evaluate the effect of Cinnamomum cassia oil (CCO) on oxidative stress markers and their modification in gene expression in a diabetic rat model induced with alloxan.

Materials and Methods

Experimental, prospective and comparative study with female and male Wistar rats. Groups (n=6): Sham (SH), Diabetic (D), CCO, D with CCO (D+CCO) and D with metformin (D+MET). From serum and liver tissue, biochemical and antioxidant markers were measured respectively, as well as gene expression. Ethics Committee approval under HI17-00002 registry.

Results

No significant difference in ALT and AST was observed between the SH and CCO groups at the dose used (300 mg/kg) (Figure 1A y B). Group D presented an increase in glucose (GLU) compared to SH (Figure 1C). A significant decrease in GLU, urea nitrogen (BUN), AST and ALT were observed in the D+CCO group compared to D group, but not in cholesterol (COL), triglycerides (TG), creatinine (CREA) (Figure 1D-J). No significant changes were observed in the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) when comparing the D+CCO group with respect to D (Figure 2A-C), but there was a significant decrease in the expression of Rela and Gpx in the D+CCO group with respect to D (Figure 2 E and D).

Conclusions

CCO at the dose used and during the study period was not hepatotoxic, had a hypoglycemic effect from the first dose and decreased ALT, AST and BUN levels. CCO has an anti-inflammatory effect by decreasing Rela gene expression.

Ethical statement

The protocol was registered and approved by the Ethics Committee.

Declaration of interests

None

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Figure 1. Results of the biochemical markers in the different study groups. (A and B) ALT and AST levels in SH groups and D. (C) Glucose levels after one week of administration with alloxane. (D-J) Glucose, CREA, BUN, COL, TG, ALT and AST levels in the various study groups after the administration period. Values are expressed as mean ± SD. P values: * p<0.05, ** p<0.01, *** p<0.001 and **** p<0.001.

Figure 2. Results of oxidative stress and gene expression markers in the different study groups. (A, B and C) MDA, GSH and SOD oxidative stress markers. (E and D) Relative expression of Gpx and Rela in the various study groups. Values are expressed as mean ± SD. P values: * p<0.05, ** p<0.01, *** p<0.001 and **** p<0.001.