Zahid Iqbal, Khadija Iqbal, Mohiuddin Mudassar.
Hepatoprotective effect of cinnamon on cholesterol induced fatty changes in albino rats.
Isra Med J Jan ;7(4):225-7.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of cinnamon powder in albino rats after inducing hyperlipidemia STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study PLACE AND DURATION: Department of Pharmacology, Al-Nafees Medical College, Islamabad and National Institute of Health (NIH), th th Islamabad, Pakistan, from 15 October 2012 to 15 March 2013. METHODOLOGY: For this study 90 adult albino rats of either sex with average weight of 210 ± 11 grams were divided into three groups i.e. A (Untreated Control), B (Treated Control), C (Treated Group). Hyperlipidemia was induced in rats with cholesterol (400mg/Kg body weight of rat) mixed with the routine rat feed. All the groups received atherogenic feed for 0-15 days except group A, which was kept on atherogenic feed for the whole duration of the study. Cinnamon bark powder equivalent to 6gm/kg was administered to the rats of group C for 15-60 days. Simvastatin was administered to group B at the dose rate 0.6mg/Kg body weight for 15-60 days as a treatment control. Blood samples and liver tissue specimen were collected at 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 days. Serum was separated and analyzed for lipid profile parameters using reagent kits. Histopathology of the liver specimen was done to observe the protective effect on liver tissue. RESULTS: After the induction of hyperlipidemia, histological findings of the liver tissue showed hepatocyte fatty degeneration around central vein. Also intralobular vein congestion and accumulation of hepatic lipid droplets was seen with the use of atherogenic diet in group A. These fatty changes were significantly reversed by the Cinnamon treatment in Group C. The standard drug showed no effect on fatty changes in liver in group B. Commensurate to these histological findings, Cinnamon powder also improved the serum lipid profile in albino rats by reducing Total Lipids, Total Cholesterol, Triglycerides and LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol levels in group C. CONCLUSION: Cinnamon powder has curative effect against hepatic fatty changes. Also it is very useful to treat hyperlipidemia.

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