This study was conducted in October/2023 in the College of Medicine–Baghdad University laboratories to determine the effects of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) extract on blood glucose levels and liver damage of induced diabetic mice by alloxan. Cinnamon is utilized for its potential anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties which made it a subject of selection in this study which concerning with liver health.
This study results revealed that the treatment with 200 mg/kg of body weight showed significant reduction in blood glucose levels after 3 to 12 days. This reduction revealed that the Cinnamon extract possesses hyperglycemic activity in comparison to the untreated mice (control). The Cinnamon-treated diabetic group of mice showed normal hepatic architecture which was similar to that of untreated group, they have few PAS positive granules, and most of the hepatocytes were studded with PAS positive granules. The cinnamon-treated diabetic group showed that hepatocytes were studded with bluish granules, while those of untreated diabetic group showed fewer bluish granules in the cytoplasm. It was observed the accumulation of lipoid droplets in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes of diabetic group. This change was reminiscent to the formation of fatty liver due to the increasing of fatty acids into the liver induced by hypo-insulinemia. It was observed a reduction in glycogen in the liver cells of diabetic group as compared to the Cinnamon-treated group which shows that Cinnamon extract stimulated protein synthesis by increasing the number of ribosomes, and improving the insulin resistance. The results showed that Cinnamon have hypo-protective role in diabetic mice and give promising for further studies.