World Journal of Dairy & Food Sciences 9 (2): 145-153, 2014

ISSN 1817-308X
© IDOSI Publications, 2014
DOI: 10.5829/[Link].2014.9.2.1137

Protective Effects of Aqueous Extracts of Cinnamon and

Ginger Herbs Against Obesity and Diabetes in Obese Diabetic Rat

Neveen S. Ismail

Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences,

Faculty of Home Economics, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract: The effects of cinnamon aqueous extract (CAE) and ginger aqueous extract (GAE) on body weight
and fats, serum levels of liver enzymes, blood lipids, glucose, leptin and insulin and on the activity of tissue
antioxidant enzymes in obese diabetic rats were evaluated. Fifty four male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized
into 6 equal groups. Group (1) was fed on basal diet, while the other 5 groups were fed on high-fat diet (HFD)
for 6 weeks to induce obesity and acute hyperlipidemia. The obese rats were then rendered diabetic by
intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (120 mg/kg/day) for 5 days. After induction of diabetes, group (2) was kept
obese diabetic and the other 4 groups were orally given CWE in doses 100 and 200 mg/kg or GWE in doses
100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively, for 6 weeks. Blood samples were collected for separating the serum for
biochemical analyses. Kidneys were dissected out and prepared to assay activities of tissue antioxidant
enzymes. The results showed that oral administration of CAE and GWE to obese diabetic rats significantly
reduced body weight and fats; decreased serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase
and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase enzymes, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein and
reduced atherogenic index (LDL-c/HDL-c). There were significant decreases in blood glucose and leptin
hormone and increase in insulin in obese diabetic rats given CAE and GWE. The extracts also increased
activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) antioxidant enzymes
in kidney tissues of obese diabetic rats. In conclusion, cinnamon and ginger extracts produce anti-obesity,
antidiabetic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects in obese diabetic rats. These results provide scientific
evidence to substantiate the traditional use of cinnamon and ginger as a drink in treating obesity,
hyperlipidemia and diabetes.

Key words: Cinnamon Ginger Obesity Diabetes Body fats Liver enzymes Blood lipids Glucose
Insulin Leptin Antioxidant

INTRODUCTION diabetes are among the most challenging global health

problems. There is a strong association between obesity,
Obesity is an excessive fat accumulation in the body insulin resistance and infiltration of the adipose tissues
that results from an imbalance between energy intake by inflammatory cells. Insulin resistance, a common
and energy expenditure. It is associated with genetic, accompaniment of obesity, is a major risk factor for
metabolic and behavioral components. Despite of a diabetes mellitus [4, 5]. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic
major contribution of genetic susceptibility, the rapid metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia due to
development of obesity might reflect great changes of insulin deficiency, or insulin resistance, or both.
other factors such as dietary habit [1]. The prevalence of Hyperglycemia occurs when the cells become unable to
obesity is rising dramatically among all ages due to the utilize glucose and/or the liver and skeletal muscles
changes of lifestyles and dietary fat intake [2]. Obesity cannot store glycogen [6]. The increased extracellular and
represents a serious health problem that increased the risk intracellular glucose concentrations result in oxidative
for many diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, stress due to increased production of reactive oxygen
hypertension and diabetes mellitus [3]. Obesity and species (ROS) and sharp decrease in antioxidant body

Corresponding Author: Neveen S. Ismail, Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Home Economics,
Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.
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defenses [7]. Oxidative stress plays a key role in the onset blood glucose and radioimmunoassay kits for leptin and
and development of diabetes complications, notably insulin hormones were purchased from Gamma Trade
diabetic nephropathy [8]. Because the synthetic chemical Company, Egypt. The other biochemical kits were
drugs prescribed for treating obesity and diabetes has obtained from Biodiagnostic Company, Dokki, Egypt.
many adverse side effects, therefore there is a great need
to search for alternative safe natural agents from medicinal Rats: Fifty four adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing
plants, herbs and spices. Cinnamon (Cinnamomum 200-210 g body weight and 10-12 weeks old were used in
zeylanicum L., Family Lauraceae) is one of the most this study. Animals were obtained from the Laboratory
important spices that used to flavor most foods in Animal Colony, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt. Rats
Arabian countries. In animal studies, dried aqueous were housed in a well ventilated animal room under
cinnamon extracts potentiated insulin-regulated standard conditions of 24°C temperature, 50% relative
glucose utilization via enhancing insulin signaling [9] humidity and 12 hr light/12 hr dark cycles. Basal diet and
and prevented the insulin resistance induced by a water were provided ad libitum. Rats were acclimatized to
high-fructose diet in part by enhancing the insulin the laboratory environment for 7 days before start of the
signaling pathway [10]. Cinnamon extracts and experiment.
polyphenols have been reported to have beneficial effects
in reducing fasting plasma glucose [11]. Cinnamon Preparation of Basal Diet: The dietary supply of
extracts were also reported to produce hepatoprotective protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals was
[12], antioxidant [13, 14], anti-obesity [15], hypolipidemic in accordance with the recommended dietary
[16, 17] and antidiabetic [18, 19] activities in man and allowances for rats as described by Reeves et al. [25].
experimental animals. Ginger rhizomes (Zingiber officinale Basal diet was consisted of 20% protein, 10% sucrose, 5%
Roscoe, Family Zingiberaceae) are commonly used as corn oil, 2% choline chloride, 1% vitamin mixture, 3.5 %
culinary spice and have a long history for its health salt mixture and 5% fibers. The remainder was corn starch
benefits. The main active antioxidants in ginger are up to 100%.
gingerols and shogaols beside some phenolic ketone
derivatives. Ginger is used medicinally for its Preparation of Plant Aqueous Extracts: Two hundred
hepatoprotective and antioxidant [20], antidiabetic and grams of the powder of either cinnamon barks or ginger
hypolipidemic [21, 22] and anti-obesity [23, 24] effects. rhizomes were dissolved in 1000 ml distilled water and
The present study aimed to evaluate effects of the boiled for 10 minutes, cooled and filtered using Whatman
aqueous extract of cinnamon and ginger herbs on body No. 1 filter paper to obtain 20% aqueous extract as
weight and fats, serum levels of liver enzymes, blood described by Shalaby and Hamowieh [26].
lipids, glucose, leptin and insulin hormones as well as the
activity of renal tissue antioxidant enzymes in obese Induction of Obesity and Diabetes: Obesity and acute
diabetic rats. hyperlipidemia were induced by feeding rats on high-fat
diet (HFD) which supplies 45% calories from fat (lard)
MATERIALS AND METHODS for 6 weeks. A 4- to 6-week HFD feeding is sufficient to
induce obesity and acute hyperlipidemia and this obese
Plant Materials: Dried barks of cinnamon (Cinnamomum model in rats closely resembles the reality of obesity in
zeylanicum L., Family Lauraceae) and ginger rhizomes humans according to Bhatt et al. [27]. The obese rats were
(Zingiber officinale, Family Zingiberaceae) were then rendered diabetic intraperitoneal injection of
purchased from local market of Agricultural Herbs, Spices alloxan in a dose of 120 mg/kg/day for 5 days according to
and Medicinal Plants, Cairo, Egypt. The dried plant Ashok et al. [28].
materials were grinded using an electric mixer into a fine
powder and thereafter subjected to preparation of Experiment Protocol: The experiment was performed on
aqueous extracts. fifty four mature Sprague Dawley rats randomly
distributed into 6 groups, of 9 rats each. Group (1) was fed
Alloxan and Biochemical Kits: Alloxan was purchased on basal diet and kept negative control, while the other
from El-Gomhoryia Company for Chemicals; Cairo, Egypt 5 groups were fed on HFD for 6 weeks to induce obesity.
as a white powder packed bottles each containing 25g The obese rats were then rendered diabetic by
alloxan monohydrate. Glucose enzymatic kit for estimating intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (120 mg/kg/day) for

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5 days. Thereafter, group (2) was kept obese diabetic Statistical analysis was carried out using one-way
(positive control), while groups (3), (4) (5) and (6) were analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan’s
orally given the aqueous extract of cinnamon in doses multiple range test [40] with SPSS computer program
100 and 200 mg/kg and ginger in doses 100 and 200 mg/kg, (version 15). Differences between the controls and treated
respectively, daily for 6 weeks. At the end of feeding groups were considered significant at P<0.05 level.
period, initial and final body weights of rats were recorded
and body fats were carefully removed and weighed. RESULTS
The adiposity index was calculated by dividing the total
weight of mesenteric, visceral, epididymal and Feeding of rats on high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks
retroperitoneal adipose tissues by the body weight and significantly (P<0.05) increased the body weight, fats
multiplied by 100 i.e. (Ad.I = fat weight/body weight x100) weight and adiposity index when compared to negative
according to Pichon et al. [29]. Rats were then euthanized control rats fed on basal diet. Oral administration of
by prolonged exposure to ether anesthetic and blood cinnamon aqueous extract (100 and 200 mg/kg) and ginger
samples were withdrawn via cardiac puncture. Blood was aqueous extract (100 and 200 mg/kg) to obese diabetic rats
left to clot and centrifuged at 4000 rpm for 15 min. at 4°C for 6 weeks caused significant (P<0.05) decreases in the
for separating the serum which kept frozen until body weight, fats weight and adiposity index when
biochemical analyses. Kidneys were dissected out for compared to positive (obese diabetic) control rats, in a
assaying the activity of tissue antioxidant enzymes. dose- dependent manner, as recorded in Table 1. Rats fed
on HFD for 6 weeks had significant (P<0.05) increases in
Serum Analyses: Serum aspartate aminotransferase serum levels of liver enzymes aspartate
(AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) [30]; gamma- aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) [31], total cholesterol (TC) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) when
[32]; triglycerides (TG) [33] and high density lipoprotein compared with negative control rats fed on basal diet.
(HDL) cholesterol [32] were chemically determined using Aqueous extracts of cinnamon and ginger in doses
specific diagnostic kits and measured using a 100 and 200 mg/kg when given to obese diabetic rats
spectrophotometer (model T80, UV/visible, double beam, significantly (P<0.05) reduced the high serum levels of
UK). Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was AST, ALT and GGT enzymes when compared to the
calculated according to Friedewald formula: LDL-c = TC positive control group, in a dose dependent fashion, as
– (TG/5) – HDL-c). Blood glucose (BG) was determined illustrated in Fig. 1.
using glucose enzymatic kit according to Siest et al. [34]. As demonstrated in Fig. 2, feeding of rats on HFD
Insulin was estimated using specific antibody for 6 weeks produced significant (P<0.05) increases in
radioimmunoassay (RIA) kit according to Yallow and serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides
Bauman [35]. Leptin hormone was determined using (TG) when compared to rats fed on basal diet. Oral
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) according administration of the aqueous extract of cinnamon and
to Xiong et al. [36]. ginger in doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg to obese diabetic
rats for 6 weeks significantly (P<0.05) decreased the
Renal Antioxidant Enzymes: One gram of kidney tissue elevated levels of serum TC and TG when compared to the
was washed with ice-cooled 0.9% NaCl solution and positive control group. The effect of cinnamon and ginger
homogenized in 100 ml of ice-cooled 1.5% solution of aqueous extracts on serum TC and TG seemed to be a
potassium chloride and 50 mMol potassium phosphate dose-dependent.
buffer solutions (pH 7.4) to yield 1% homogenate (w/v). The results showed that feeding of rats on HFD for
Homogenization was performed using Sonicator, 4710 6 weeks caused a significantly (P<0.05) decreased serum
Ultrasonic Homogenizer. Kidney homogenates were high density lipoprotein (HDL), increased both low
centrifuged at 4000×g for 10 min. at 4°C and the density lipoprotein (LDL) and atherogenic index (AI)
supernatants were used to assay the activity of when compared to negative control rats. Oral
antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx), administration of aqueous extracts of cinnamon and
superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) ginger in doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg to obese diabetic
according to Paglia and Valentaine [37], Spitz and Oberley rats for 6 weeks significantly (P <0.05) increased serum
[38] and Sinha [39], respectively. HDL-c, decreased both LDL-c and AI when compared
with the positive control groups as depicted in Table 2.
Statistical Analysis: Data were presented as mean ± SE.

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Table 1: Effects of cinnamon aqueous extract (CAE) and ginger aqueous extract (GAE) on body weight ([Link]), fats weight ([Link]) and adiposity index (Ad.I)
in obese diabetic rats.(n= 9 rats)
Parameters
Groups B. wt (g) F. wt (g) Ad. I (%)
Group (1) Negative control 245.0 ± 11.0 d
6.55 ± 0.12 c
2.67 ± 0.10d
Group (2) Negative control 300.0 ± 12.5 a
14.50 ± 0.52 a
4.83 ± 0.35a
Group (3) CAE (100 mg/kg ) 288.0 ± 10.5 b
10.20 ± 0.45 b
3.54 ± 0.24b
Group (4) CAE (200 mg/kg ) 278.0 ± 11.0c 9.50 ± 0.37c 3.41 ± 0.22b
Group (5) GAE (100 mg/kg ) 280.0 ± 12.5b 8.40 ± 0.30b 3.00 ± 0.25 c
Group (6) GAE (200 mg/kg ) 270.0 ± 11.0c 7.80 ± 0.15c 2.88 ± 0.12 c
Means ± SE with different letters superscripts (a, b, c, d) in the same column are significant at P< 0.05 using one way ANOVA test.

Fig. 1: Effects of cinnamon aqueous extract (CAE) and ginger aqueous extract (GAE) on serum levels of aspartate
aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) liver enzymes
in obese diabetic rats.
Columns with different superscript letters are significant at P <0.05.

Fig. 2: Effects of cinnamon aqueous extract (CAE) and ginger aqueous extract (GAE) on serum total cholesterol (TC) and
triglycerides (TG) in obese diabetic rats.
Columns with different superscript letters are significant at P <0.05.

Table 2: Effects of cinnamon aqueous extract (CAE) and ginger aqueous extract (GAE) on serum levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL-c), low density
lipoprotein (LDL-c) cholesterol and atherogenic index (AI) in obese diabetic rats. (n= 9 rats)
Parameters
Groups HDL-c (mg/dl) LDL-c (mg/dl) AI LDL-c/HDL-c
Group (1) Negative control 69.40 ± 3.11 a
12.50 ± 2.41 d
0.180
Group (2) Negative control 54.34 ± 2.55c 60.50 ± 4.15a 1.113
Group (3) CAE (100 mg/kg ) 60.66 ± 3.22b 44.80 ± 3.25b 0.738
Group (4) CAE (200 mg/kg ) 62.45 ± 4.12b 33.20 ± 2.27c 0.531
Group (5) GAE (100 mg/kg ) 66.50 ± 3.16c 31.45 ± 3.19c 0.472
Group (6) GAE (200 mg/kg ) 68.50 ± 4.16c 25.22 ± 3.16c 0.368
Means ± SE with different letters superscripts (a, b, c, d) in the same column are significant at P < 0.05 using one way ANOVA test

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Table 3: Effects of Cinnamon aqueous extract (CAE) and Ginger aqueous extract (GAE) on blood glucose (BG) and leptin and insulin hormones levels in obese
diabetic rats. (n= 9 rats)
Parameters
Groups BG (mg/dl) Leptin (ng/ml) Insulin (ng/ml)
Group (1) Negative control 220 ± 8.0d 2.50 ± 0.15d 2.95 ± 0.15a
Group (2) Negative control 285 ± 7.0a 4.90 ± 0.11a 0.89 ± 0.13d
Group (3) CAE (100 mg/kg) 266 ± 5.0b 4.10 ± 0.18b 1.82 ± 0.14b
Group (4) CAE (200 mg/kg) 255 ± 6.0b 3.35 ± 0.17b 2.43 ± 0.12b
Group (5) GAE (100 mg/kg) 277 ± 7.0c 2.35 ± 0.11c 2.52 ± 0.13c
Group (6) GAE (200 mg/kg) 237 ± 5.0c 2.40 ± 0.12c 2.55 ± 0.11c
Means ± SE with different letters superscripts (a, b, c, d) in the same column are significant at P<0.05 using one way ANOVA test. (n= 9 rats/group)

Table 4: Effects of Cinnamon aqueous extract (CAE) and Ginger aqueous extract (GAE) on activities of tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione
peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) antioxidant enzymes in obese diabetic rats. (n= 9 rats)
SOD (U/mg protein) GPx (nmol/min /mg protein) CAT (nmol/min/mg protein)
Group (1) Negative control 58.70 ± 2.24a 0.69 ± 0.01a 0.185 ± 0.001 a
Group (2) Negative control 38.50 ± 2.88d 0.18 ± 0.04d 0.138 ± 0.002 d
Group (3)CAE (100 mg/kg) 44.74 ± 3.46c 0.22 ± 0.03b 0.145 ± 0.001 b
Group (4)CAE (200 mg/kg) 48.95 ± 2.58c 0.24 ± 0.01b 0.158 ± 0.001 b
Group (5) GAE (100 g/kg) 50.25 ± 2.73b 0.49 ± 0.02c 0.180 ± 0.002 c
Group (6) GAE (200 g/kg) 53.15 ± 2.83b 0.53 ± 0.01c 0.182 ± 0.001 c
Means ± SE with different letters superscripts (a, b, c, d) in the same column are significant at P < 0.05 using one way ANOVA test.
Unit of GPx= nmol of GSH utilized/min/mg protein
Unit of CAT= nmol of H2O2 utilized/min/mg protein

Data in Table 3 showed that rats fed on HFD for obese diabetic rats. The medicinal plants and culinary
6 weeks had significantly (P<0.05) increased blood herbs which possess antihyperlipidemic and antidiabetic
glucose and leptin hormone and decreased insulin activities have gained much attention, especially those
hormone levels when compared to rats fed on basal diet with little toxicity properties. The biological value of
(negative control group). Cinnamon and ginger aqueous plants depends on their bioactive constituents such as
extracts when orally given in doses 100 and 200 mg kg to saponins, anthocyanins, flavonoids, polyphenols,
obese diabetic rats for 6 weeks significantly (P<0.05) diterpenes, triterpenes and other phytochemicals [41, 42].
decreased serum glucose and leptin hormone and Obesity, especially the abdominal type, is a health
increased insulin levels when compared with positive problem that constitutes metabolic syndrome and
control rats, in a dose dependent manner. Feeding HFD to increases the incidence of various diseases, including
rats for 6 weeks significantly (P<0.05) decreased renal diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis.
tissue levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione The increased levels of systemic oxidative stress that
peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) antioxidant enzymes occur in obesity may contribute to the obesity-associated
when compared to rats fed on basal diet. Oral development of these diseases [43]. Oxidative stress,
administration of aqueous extracts of cinnamon and which is increased in obesity, plays an important role in
ginger in doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg to obese diabetic the development of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases
rats for 6 weeks normalized the elevated renal tissue levels in people who are obese. Increased oxidative stress
of SOD, GPx and CAT enzymes when compared with the together with the decreased antioxidative defense seems
positive control group, in a dose-dependent manner, as to contribute to decreased insulin sensitivity and impaired
depicted in Table 4. insulin secretory response in obese diabetics and favours
the development of diabetes during obesity [44]. In the
DISCUSSION current study, obesity was induced by feeding rats on
high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks according to the method
The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the described by Bhatt et al. [27]. This model of obesity in
effects of aqueous extracts of cinnamon and ginger herbs rats closely resembles the reality of obesity in humans.
on body weight and fats, serum levels of liver enzymes, However, experimental obesity could be also induced
blood lipids, glucose, leptin and insulin hormones as well in rats and mice by other methods such as feeding on
as the activity of renal tissue antioxidant enzymes in high-fructose diet, damage in the anterior hypothalamus

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and genetically induced-obesity. In the present study, the caused by cinnamon and ginger extracts, in this study,
used rat model was obese diabetic where the obese rats were similar to those recorded by Vafa et al. [16] and
were rendered diabetic by intraperitoneal injection of Shatwan et al. [17] for cinnamon and by El- Rokh et al.
alloxan for 5 days [28]. [22] for ginger. The authors concluded that cinnamon and
Results of the present study showed that the ginger extracts lower the elevated levels of total
cinnamon aqueous extract (CAE) when given orally to cholesterol, triglycerides and LDLc in man and rats.
obese diabetic rats for 6 weeks produced anti-obesity They attributed the hypolipidemic effects of cinnamon
effect. This effect was similar to that previously reported and ginger due to their contents of polyphenols in
by Couturier et al. [15] and Boque et al. [45], who found cinnamon and contents of gingerols and shogaols in
that cinnamon extracts and polyphenols of cinnamon ginger which inhibit the intestinal absorption of
induced anti-obesity effect in rats fed on high- fat diet. cholesterol and reduce serum cholesterol levels in
Moreover, Amin and Nagy [46] reported that feeding rats experimental animal models. Rats fed on high fat-diet for
on high-fat diet significantly increased the body weight, 6 weeks, in this study, had significantly lower serum
fats weight and serum levels of triglycerides, total insulin level than those fed on basal diet. This finding
cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol as agreed with that reported by Huang et al. [49], who found
compared with the rats fed on normal diet. Similarly, the that feeding high-fat diet to normal rats resulted in
aqueous extract of ginger (GAE) produced anti-obesity impaired pancreatic function and decreased insulin
effect in obese diabetic rats. This effect was in accordance secretion (hypoinsulenemia). Oral administration of
with that reported by Nammi et al. [23] and Mahmoud cinnamon and ginger to obese diabetic rats caused
and El-Nour [24] who concluded that ginger has a great hyperinsulinemia, in a dose dependant manner. The
ability to reduce body weight in rats fed high-fat diet. hyperinsulinemic effects of cinnamon and ginger were
The mechanism(s) underlying the anti-obesity effect of similar to that reported by Lee et al. [18] and by
cinnamon aqueous extract (CAE) could be possibly El- Rokh et al. [22] in rats, respectively. Some previous
explained by its hyperinsulinemic effect evident in the studies revealed that hyperinsulinemia and insulin
present study in obese diabetic rats. It was reported that resistance are common features of obesity in humans [47]
hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance are common and experimental animals [46].
features of obesity in humans [47] and experimental Concerning leptin hormone, the present results
animals [46]. The anti-obesity activity of CAE could also revealed that rats fed on high fat-diet (HFD) had high
be due to the high level of leptin hormone that reported serum leptin hormone level when compared with those fed
the current study. In this concern, Friedman [48] on basal diet. This finding agreed with that reported by
mentioned that leptin is a peptide hormone secreted by Huang et al. [49] who found that HFD increased serum
adipose tissue in proportion to its mass. When leptin leptin level in rats. Leptin plays a key role in regulating
circulates in blood and acts on the brain to regulate food energy intake and energy expenditure and the level of
intake (appetite) and energy expenditure. When body fat circulating leptin is proportional to the total amount of
mass decreases, the plasma leptin levels decreases so body fats. Cinnamon and ginger extracts significantly
stimulating appetite and suppressing energy expenditure decreased serum leptin levels in obese diabetic rats.
till fat mass is restored. On this basis, the reduced This result agreed with that of Shatwan et al. [17], who
adiposity index in obese diabetic rats given CAE could be reported that cinnamon extract reduced body weight,
attributed to the reported low serum leptin level in this decreased serum leptin level and depressed appetite in
study. obese rats fed on HFD. The authors concluded that
The hepatoprotective effect of cinnamon and ginger cinnamon may be useful in the treatment of obesity and
aqueous extracts reported in this study was evident from related disorders as anti-obesity agent. Concerning
the significant decreases in the elevated serum levels of ginger, Wadikar and Premavalli [50] reported that ginger
liver enzymes (AST, ALT and GGT) in obese diabetic rats. decreased (6-16%) in plasma leptin levels in human
This effect agreed with that reported by Moselhy and Ali, volunteers. In obese diabetic rats, the activity of
[12] for cinnamon and by Abdel-Azeem et al. [20] for antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx and CAT) decreased in
ginger extracts. The hepatoprotective effect of cinnamon renal tissues. This finding can be explained by
and ginger could be attributed to the antioxidant activity hyperglycemia due to alloxan injection that causes
of cinnamon [13] and of ginger [20]. The decreases in renal oxidative stress. It is known that oxidative stress
serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-c plays a key role in the onset and development of diabetes

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complications, notably diabetic nephropathy [8]. 6. Luis-Rodríguez, D., A. Martínez-Castelao, J.L. Gorriz,
Cinnamon and ginger extracts when given to obese F. De-Alvaro and J.F. Navarro-Gonzalez, 2012.
diabetic rats induced antioxidant effect that evident by the Pathophysiological role and therapeutic implications
increased activity of tissue SOD, GPx and CAT of inflammation in diabetic nephropathy. World
antioxidant enzymes in renal tissue. The antioxidant effect Journal of Diabetes, 15: 7-18.
of cinnamon and ginger extracts may be attributed to their 7. Lucchesi, A.N., N.T. Freitas, L.L. Cassettari,
hypoglycemic activity that reported in this study and S.E. Marques and C.T. Spadella, 2013. Diabetes
previously demonstrated by Mang et al. [11] for mellitus triggers oxidative stress in the liver of
cinnamon and by Sanjay et al. [21] for ginger. alloxan-treated rats: A mechanism for diabetic chronic
liver disease. Acta Circular Brassily, 28(7): 502-
CONCLUSION 508.
8. Wang, G.G., X.H. Lu, W. Li, X. Zhao and C. Zhang,
Oral administration of cinnamon and ginger aqueous 2011. Protective effects of Luteolin on diabetic
extracts exhibit good anti-obesity, antidiabetic, nephropathy in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Evident
hepatoprotective, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant Based Complementary Alternative Medicine 2011,
activities in obese diabetic rats. The obese diabetic rat 32317 doi: 10.1155/2011/323171. Epub 2011 Apr 28.
model is a novel animal model in nutrition researches. 9. Qin, B., M. Nagasaki, M. Ren, G. Bajotto, Y. Oshida
The results pointed to the potential possibility of and Y. Sato, 2003. Cinnamon extract (traditional herb)
using cinnamon and ginger as a drink for the potentiates in vivo insulin regulated glucose
treatment of obese diabetic patients. The present results utilization via enhancing insulin signaling in rats.
Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 62: 139-148.
provide a scientific evidence to substantiate the
10. Qin, B., M. Nagasaki, M. Ren, G. Bajotto, Y. Oshida
traditional use of cinnamon and ginger herbs by public as
and Y. Sato, 2004. Cinnamon extract prevents the
a drink for the treatment of obesity, hyperlipidemia and
insulin resistance induced by a high-fructose diet.
diabetes.
Hormone and Metabolism Research, 36: 119-125.
11. Mang, B., M. Wolters, B. Schmitt, K. Kelb and
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