Effect of Cinnamon and its Procyanidin-B2 on Diabetic Retinopathy in Rats

Abstract

<p><em>Advanced glycation end products (AGE) are amalgamated in the development of certain pathophysiologies including diabetic retinopathy (DR). Procyanidin-B2 (PCB2), an active principle of cinnamon, has shown to inhibit AGE formation</em><em>. In current study we inspected the protective role of PCB2 to prevent DR in diabetic rats.<strong> </strong>Diabetes was induced in Wistar-NIN rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg bodyweight) and the control rats received vehicle alone. The retinal morphology was studied by microscopy and immunohistochemistry of diabetic and control rats. The expression of retinal selective genes analysis was done via real-time PCR. Immunoblotting of diabetic and control rat retina was studied. Gene expression and immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analysis of diabetic retina from PCB2 and cinnamon fed rat showed declined expression of VEGF and GFAP and increased expression of NGF. Immunoblotting analysis resulted that feeding of PCB2 significantly reserved the formation of carboxy methyl lysine and RAGE in diabetic rats compare with controls. The results indicate that PCB2 was effective in protecting the diabetic retina from development of diabetic retinopathy in rats owing to its antiglycating potential. Thus, active principle of dietary sources, such as PCB2, may be explored for the prevention or delay of DR.<strong></strong></em></p>