Effect of Oral Cinnamon on Histological Damage Caused by Alloxan-Induced Diabetes Mellitus

Cinnamon has been widely recognized as hypoglycaemic agent against diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to investigate the potential histological repairing ability of damaged pancreatic tissue due to alloxaninduced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in 24 male Albino rats using alloxan (120mg/kg intraperitoneal). Four groups (n=6 each) received or not suspensions of cinnamon (50mg/ kg and 100mg/kg OD orally). Body weights, fasting blood glucose, and serum insulin levels were measured. All biochemical results were compared with cinnamon effects on pancreatic histological changes. Diabetes decreased serum insulin due to damaged Langerhans islet cells, however, treatment of diabetic rats with cinnamon up to 30 days, significantly increased serum insulin and reduced blood glucose level. Moreover, cinnamon-treated rats with a low dose showed that the shape of pancreatic islets cells relatively irregular with some normal cells. Meanwhile the cinnamon-treated with a high dose showed considerable repairing effects and islets cells looks like normal. The biochemical and histological findings suggested that cinnamon extract has therapeutic and protective ability against alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The hypoglycaemic effect observed could be due to high repairing ability on pancreatic tissues leading to increased insulin levels. Hence, cinnamon may be useful in the treatment of diabetics.