Effect of cinnamaldehyde on nesfatin-1 levels in diabetic rats

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of cinnamaldehyde (CA) on fasting blood glucose (FBG), body weight, lipid profile, and nesfatin-1 levels in healthy and diabetic (DM) rats. 
 Methods: Ten groups with eight rats per group were used. Healthy and diabetic sham groups were administered 1 mL of saline for 28 days by intragastric gavage. Healthy and diabetic control groups were administered 1 mL 0.5 % dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 28 days by intragastric gavage. Other diabetic and healthy groups (HG) received 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg CA for 28 days by intragastric gavage, once daily. Diabetes was induced with streptozotocin (50 mg/kg intraperitoneally). Rats were defined as diabetic when FBG was > 250 mg/dL. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to assess serum nesfatin-1 concentrations. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) values were evaluated with a glucometer. 
 Results: Day 28 weights of all DM and HG + 40 mg/kg CA groups were lower than day 1 weights (p < 0.05). Triglyceride values of DM + 40 mg/kg CA group were lower than DM sham and control group (p ≤ 0.001). Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and cholesterol levels of the CA-administered healthy groups were higher than healthy control groups (p ≤ 0.001). Nesfatin-1 levels of all DM groups were lower than all healthy groups, and nesfatin-1 levels of all CA-administered healthy and DM groups were lower than healthy and DM sham and control groups, but these were not significant (p > 0.001). 
 Conclusion: Although not significant, the decrease in nesfatin-1 level is evidence that CA has an anti-obesity effect in both healthy and diabetic rats. In contrast to its antihyperlipidemic effect in diabetic conditions, CA has hyperlipidemic effect in healthy conditions.