Abstract
It has long been believed that an intake of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) alleviates diabetic pathological conditions. However, it is still controversial whether the beneficial effect is insulin-dependent or insulin-mimetic. This study was aimed at determining the insulin-independent effect of cinnamon. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were divided into four groups and orally administered with an aqueous cinnamon extract (CE) for 22 d. The diabetic rats that had taken CE at a dose of more than 30 mg/kg/d were rescued from their hyperglycemia and nephropathy, and these rats were found to have upregulation of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) in their brown adipose tissues as well as in their muscles. This was verified by using 3T3-L1 adipocytes in which CE upregulates GLUT4 translocation and increases the glucose uptake. CE exhibited its anti-diabetic effect independently from insulin by at least two mechanisms: i) upregulation of mitochondrial UCP-1, and ii) enhanced translocation of GLUT4 in the muscle and adipose tissues.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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3T3-L1 Cells
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Adipocytes / cytology
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Adipocytes / drug effects*
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Adipocytes / metabolism
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Adipocytes, Brown / drug effects
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Adipocytes, Brown / metabolism
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Adipocytes, Brown / pathology
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Animals
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Blood Glucose / metabolism
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Body Weight / drug effects
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Cinnamomum zeylanicum / chemistry*
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / drug therapy*
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / metabolism
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / pathology
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / physiopathology
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Fasting
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Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
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Glucose Transporter Type 4 / metabolism
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Hypoglycemic Agents / isolation & purification
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Hypoglycemic Agents / pharmacology*
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Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use
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Insulin / metabolism*
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Ion Channels / metabolism
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Kidney Glomerulus / drug effects
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Kidney Glomerulus / metabolism
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Kidney Glomerulus / pathology
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Male
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Mice
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Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism
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Organ Size / drug effects
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Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
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Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
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Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
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Protein Transport / drug effects
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Rats
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Rats, Wistar
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Reproducibility of Results
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Uncoupling Protein 1
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Water / chemistry
Substances
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Blood Glucose
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Glucose Transporter Type 4
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Hypoglycemic Agents
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Insulin
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Ion Channels
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Mitochondrial Proteins
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Plant Extracts
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Ucp1 protein, mouse
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Ucp1 protein, rat
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Uncoupling Protein 1
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Water