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Abstract

Background: Dyslipidemia is one of the important causes of cardiovascular disease related 

mortality and morbidity. Recently it has become a significant issue in public health problem of 

developing countries. The purpose of the study was to find a suitable solution for reducing 

blood lipid in dyslipidemic patients by conducting a research on the effect of cinnamon in 

hypercholesterolemic rats. Objective: To study the lipid lowering effect of Cinnamomum 

cassia on experimentally induced hypercholesterolemic rats. Materials and Methods: This 

study was done on 30 male Long Evans rats weighing about 200--210 gram. For convenience, 

the study was divided into two experiments --- Experiment I and Experiment II. In experiment 

I, 12 animals were divided into two groups.  One was Group A (n = 6, control group) fed on 

laboratory diet and the other was Group B (n = 6) fed on laboratory diet and cinnamon for 35 

days. In experiment II, the remaining 18 rats were fed fatty mixture diet containing 1% 

cholesterol and 0.25% cholic acid. The hypercholesterolemic rats were then divided into 3 

groups, Group C, D, and E (n=6 in each group). Group D and Group E were additionally fed 

on cinnamon powder and tablet atorvastatin for 35 days respectively.  Serum TC, TG, LDL-C 

and HDL-C were measured after 35 days. Results: Fatty mixture diet increased TG, TC and 

LDL-C significantly.  Cinnamon treated fatty mixture diet group showed that Cinnamomum 

cassia decreased plasma TC, TG and LDL-C. Atorvastatin therapy decreased TC, TG and 

LDL-C levels significantly compared with the lowering effect of cinnamon. Conclusion: The 

results of this experimental study indicate that Cinnamomum cassia can act as a 

hypocholesterolemic agent and thereby can improve cardiovascular functions.

Key words: Cinnamomum cassia, Dyslipidemia, Hypercholesterolemic rats 

                                                                                   J Enam Med Col 2013; 3(2): 94--98

 

Hypercholesterolemia is a condition characterized by 

very high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol 

is a waxy, fat-like substance that is produced in the 

body and obtained from foods that come from animals 

(particularly egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish, and dairy 

products). The body needs this substance to build cell 

membranes, make certain hormones, and produce 

compounds that aid in fat digestion. 

Introduction

 

94

Effect of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) as a Lipid Lowering

Agent on Hypercholesterolemic Rats

1.   Former M Phil student, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dhaka

2.   Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Enam Medical College, Savar, Dhaka

3.   Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Enam Medical College, Savar, Dhaka

4.   Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dhaka

5.   Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dhaka

6. Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Northern International Medical College, 

Dhanmondi, Dhaka

Correspondence Sonia Rahman, Email: mrtsr2003@yahoo.com 

Original Article

Sonia Rahman1, Halima Begum2, Zaida Rahman3, Ferdous Ara4, 

Md. Jalaluddin Iqbal5, Abul Kalam Mohammad Yousuf 6

Journal of Enam Medical College

Vol 3 No 2 July 2013



Recently, hypercholesterolemia has been 

associated with enhanced oxidative stress 

related to increased lipid peroxidation. 

Increased generation of oxidized LDL is a 

major factor in the vascular damage associated 

with high cholesterol levels. Hence, the 

inhibition of oxidative stress under 

hypercholesterolemic conditions is considered 

to be an important therapeutic approach and 

efforts have been made to identify the 

antioxidative functions of various medicinal 

plants.1

The use of plant extracts in managing various 

disorders is currently a common practice. 

Many plant materials are also in current use as 

supplements. Sometimes the aim is to lower 

the levels of some markers of disease states in 

order to improve health conditions. An 

example may be found in the use of substances 

that lower the cholesterol level in the system. 

Many studies indicate that lowering the serum 

cholesterol may prevent, control and even 

reverse artherosclerosis and coronary heart 

disease. Low triacylglycerol and low-density 

lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels or high 

density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels 

are desirable health outcomes known to have 

resulted from the use of some plant materials.2

Cinnamon is a plant that has a variety of uses 

among many different cultures, from spicing 

up foods to deterring germs from growing. 

There are actually two main forms of 

cinnamon that are commonly found in foods. 

The first, Cinnamomum verum, also known as 

“true” cinnamon or ceylon cinnamon, is 

commonly used in sweet pastries. On the other 

hand, Cinnamomum cassia, also known as 

cassia, Chinese cinnamon or “bastard” 

cinnamon, is used as a stronger spice in a 

variety of foods. In fact, it is cassia-based 

cinnamon that is often seen on the grocery 

shelves and is most often cheaper than true 

cinnamon.3

Cinnamate, a phenolic compound found in the 

inner bark of cinnamon lowers cholesterol 

level in high fat fed rats by inhibiting hepatic 

HMG Co-A reductase activity.4 Polyphenolic 

polymers found in cinnamon have antioxidant 

activity and have been shown to reduce oxidative stress in 

dose dependent manner through inhibition of 5-lipoxy-

genase enzyme.5 Cinnamon has a long history of use as 

spice and flavoring agent. Indeed, there are reports of 

cinnamon being imported to Egypt from China as early as 

2000 BC. Cinnamon is mentioned in Chinese text written 

400 years ago as well as in the Bible.6 The aim of this 

study was to find a suitable solution for the 

hypercholesterolemic patients by conducting a research of 

cinnamon’s effect on rats. 

Materials and Methods

This experimental study was carried out in the department 

of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in Sir Salimullah 

Medical College and Bangladesh Centre for Scientific and 

Industrial Research (BCSIR) from July 2011 to June 2012.

Preparation of the cinnamon powder

Cinnamon powder was obtained from cinnamon bark 

which contained cinnamonaldehyde. The cinnamon 

powder was produced by crushing sun-dried cinnamon 

bark in a grinder machine. 

Chemicals

Cholesterol and cholic acid (manufactured by Loba 

Chemic) and atorvastatin (manufactured by Beximco 

Pharmaceuticals) were purchased from the local market in 

Dhaka. A mixture of cholesterol, cholic acid and standard 

laboratory diet for rats had been administered to each rat 

per day for 35 days.4 

Animals

The study was performed on total number of 30 healthy 

adult Long Evans ( Rattus Rattus) rats weighing between 

200 to 210 gm collected from the BCSIR laboratory. The 

chosen animals were housed in cages separately at normal 

atmospheric temperature between 26 to 290C under good 

ventilation and were given water and standard balanced 

diet.  Animals were randomly distributed into five groups 

of six animals in each. Each cage was labeled for 

identification of different groups. 

Experiment I

Experiment I was conducted to demonstrate the effect of 

Cinnamomum cassia on normal adult male rats. For this 

purpose a total number of 12 rats were taken and was 

divided into two groups containing six animals in each 

group.

Group A:  Each animal received laboratory diet 20 gm/day 

and distilled water for 35 days.

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J Enam Med Col  Vol 3  No 2 July 2013



Group B: Each animal received 15% powder of 

Cinnamomum cassia mixed with laboratory 

diet 20 gm/day for 35 days.

Experiment II

Experiment II was conducted to demonstrate 

the effect of Cinnamomum cassia on 

hypercholesterolemic rats. For this purpose a 

total number of 18 rats were taken and divided 

into three groups containing six animals in 

each group.

Group C: Hypercholesterolemic group that 

received fatty mixture diet (normal laboratory 

diet plus 1% cholesterol with 0.25% cholic 

acid) for 35 days. 

Group D: This group received fatty mixture diet 

with 15% powder of Cinnamomum cassia for 

35 days.

Group E: This group received fatty mixture 

diet and tablet atorvastatin at the dosage of 0.2 

mg/kg body weight administered orally by 

gastric intubation daily for 35 days. 

Collection of blood specimens

The rats were kept fasted overnight before 

taking the blood samples. All the animals were 

anesthetized with diethyl ether and sacrificed. 

Blood samples were collected in test tubes and 

allowed to coagulate at room temperature. It 

was then centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 30 

minutes in a centrifuge machine. The clear 

nonhemolysed supernatant sera was quickly 

removed and stored at --20ºC for biochemical 

analysis of serum lipid profile at the 

Biochemistry department of Sir Salimullah 

Medical College. 

Biochemical Analysis

After collection of all blood specimens, serum 

total cholesterol (TC), serum high density 

lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and serum 

triglycerides (TG) were measured by 

enzymatic colorimetric (CHOD-PAP) method. 

Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) 

was calculated by Friedewald’s formula.

Statistical analysis

The data were analyzed using unpaired t test. 

Results were expressed as mean ± SE and P 

values <0.05 and <0.01 were considered statistically 

significant and highly significant respectively.

Results

Experiment I: Table I shows the effect of cinnamon on 

serum lipid profile of adult male rats. Serum total 

cholesterol, serum LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and 

serum triglyceride levels did not show any significant 

difference between the Cinnamomum cassia treated group 

(Group B) and the control group (Group A). 

Table I:  Effect of cinnamon on serum lipid profile of adult 

male rats (A vs B)

 Parameters Group A (n=6) Group B (n=6) P values

Mean ± SE Mean ± SE

 Serum total 71.17±1.59 69.83 ± 3.04 > 0.05

 cholesterol (mg/dL)

 Serum TG (mg/dL) 78.10 ± 2.45 76.33 ± 1.93 > 0.05

 Serum  HDL

 cholesterol (mg/dL) 31.50 ± 0.93 30.67 ± 4.87 > 0.05

 

 Serum  LDL

 cholesterol (mg/dL) 26.61 ± 2.23 23.90 ± 6.00 > 0.05 

Experiment II: Table II shows the effect of fatty mixture 

feeding on serum lipid profile of adult male rats. Serum 

total cholesterol, serum LDL cholesterol, and serum 

triglyceride levels showed significant difference between 

the fatty mixture diet group (Group C) and the control 

group (Group A). But there was no change in serum HDL-C 

level. Table III shows the effect of cinnamon on serum 

lipid profile of adult male rats fed with fatty mixture diet. 

Serum total cholesterol, serum LDL cholesterol, and serum 

triglyceride levels decreased significantly in Group D 

compared to Group C. But there was no change in serum 

HDL level. Table IV shows the comparison of serum lipid 

profile parameters between ‘fatty mixture diet + cinnamon 

fed’ and ‘fatty mixture diet + atorvastatin fed’ adult male 

rats. It was found that atorvastatin significantly lowered 

serum total cholesterol, serum triglyceride and serum LDL 

cholesterol levels compared with the lowering effect of 

cinnamon. But there was no change of HDL level. 

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J Enam Med Col  Vol 3  No 2 July 2013



Table II: Effect of fatty mixture feeding on serum lipid 

profile of adult male rats (A vs C)

 Parameters Group A (n=6) Group C (n=6) P values

Mean ± SE Mean ± SE

 Serum total

 cholesterol (mg/dL) 71.17 ± 1.59 136 ± 3.74 < 0.01

 Serum TG (mg/dL) 78.10 ± 2.45 106.5 ± 2.85 < 0.01

 Serum  HDL

 cholesterol (mg/dL) 31.50 ± 0.93 30.81± 2.78 > 0.05

 Serum  LDL

 cholesterol (mg/dL) 26.61 ± 2.23 83.81 ± 5.6 < 0.01

Table III:  Effect of cinnamon on serum lipid profile of adult 

male rats fed with fatty mixture feed (C vs D)

 Parameters Group C (n=6) Group D (n=6) P values

Mean ± SE Mean ± SE

Serum total

cholesterol (mg/dL) 136 ± 3.74 119.5 ± 2.68 < 0.01

Serum TG (mg/dL) 106.5 ± 2.85 92.13 ± 3.02 < 0.01

Serum  HDL

cholesterol (mg/dL) 30.81 ± 2.78 29.17 ± 1.73 > 0.05

Serum  LDL

cholesterol (mg/dL) 83.81 ± 5.61 71.91 ± 1.88 < 0.05

Table IV: Comparison of effects of cinnamon and atorvas-

tatin on serum lipid profile of fatty mixture diet 

fed adult male rats (D vs E)

 Parameters Group D (n=6) Group E (n=6) P values

Mean ± SE Mean ± SE

 Serum total

 cholesterol (mg/dL) 119.5 ± 2.68 83.83 ± 3.51 < 0.01 

 Serum TG (mg/dL) 92.13 ± 3.02 75.67 ± 2.18 < 0.01

 Serum  HDL

  cholesterol (mg/dL) 29.17 ± 1.73 30.50 ± 2.09 > 0.05

 Serum  LDL

 cholesterol (mg/dL) 71.91 ± 1.88 38.20 ± 3.73 < 0.01

Discussion

A growing body of research has demonstrated that the 

commonly used herbs and spices such as garlic, black 

cumin, cloves, cinnamon, thyme, five spices, bay leaves, 

mustard and rosemary possess antimicrobial properties and 

can be used therapeutically in some cases.7

Medicinal plants play a vital role for the 

development of new drugs. The bioactive 

extract should be standardized on the basis of 

active compound and should undergo safety 

studies. Almost 70% of modern medicines in 

India are derived from natural products. 

Medicinal plants play a central role not only as 

traditional medicines but also as trade 

commodities, meeting the demand of distant 

markets.8

In experiment I, all conventionally measured 

indicators (serum cholesterol, TG, LDL, and 

HDL levels) of lipid profiles were slightly 

changed in Group B as compared to those in 

the control Group A. But changes were not 

statistically significant. These findings support 

the findings of another similar study.9

In experiment II, the effect of Cinnamomum 

cassia was observed on serum lipid profile of 

hyperlipidemic Long Evans rats. On 

administrating the fatty diet, Group C showed 

significant (P<0.01) increase of serum lipid 

profile parameters (TC, TG, LDL-C) compared 

to those of control group (Group A). This 

finding indicates that fatty mixture diet that is 

used to elevate the serum lipid profile 

parameters was able to elevate all parameters 

except HDL-C measured in this experiment. 

Similar study done by Javed et al10 supports 

the present study.

It was found in this study that 15% cinnamon 

powder significantly decreased the serum TC, 

TG, LDL-C approximately by 12%, 11% and 

14% respectively (P<0.01, P<0.01 and P<0.05) 

of fatty mixture diet fed rats; but HDL-C level 

was not significantly changed. Soheir et al11 

administered 15% cinnamon powder in 

hypercholesterolemic diabetic rats and found 

decreased plasma cholesterol from 268 to 121 

mg/dL (54%), TG levels from 228 mg/dL to 

100 mg/dL (56%) and LDL-C from 211 mg/dL 

to 61 mg/dL (71%) and HDL-C increased from 

36 mg/dL to 63 mg/dL (75%). As Soheir et al 

performed their study on diabetic rats fed on 

basal diet (corn starch 70%, casein 10%, corn 

seed oil 10%, cellulose 5%, salt mixture 4% 

and vitamins mixture 1%), this might be the 

 

 

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possible cause of difference in lipid-lowering effects 

of cinnamon between these studies.

In this study administration of atorvastatin at 0.2 

mg/kg body weight for 35 days  decreased  serum 

cholesterol, TG, LDL-C approximately by 38%, 28% 

and 54% respectively of fatty mixture diet fed rats. 

HDL-C level was not changed significantly. These 

findings support study of Amin et al.4 

Cinnamon might have a direct role in lipid 

metabolism and prevent hypercholesterolemia and 

hypertriglyceridemia and lower free fatty acids by its 

strong lipolytic activity. Dietary cinnamate inhibits 

the hepatic HMG Co-A reductase activity resulting 

in lower hepatic cholesterol content and suppresses 

lipid peroxidation via enhancement of hepatic 

antioxidant enzyme activity.12

Cinnamomum cassia may have an effect on treating 

hyperlipidemia and thereby may be responsible for 

the prevention of consequences of the aging process, 

from hypertension to heart failure, cardiovascular 

diseases and myocardial infarction. Therefore, 

further studies could establish the effect of 

Cinnamomum cassia on hyperlipidemic human 

beings. 

From the findings of the present study, it can be 

concluded that Cinnamomum cassia has 

hypolipidemic effect on hypercholesterolemic rats 

under different experimental conditions. Before 

establishing Cinnamomum cassia as a therapeutically 

effective hypolipidemic agent, further studies should 

be carried out to determine the active principle 

responsible for hypolipidemic effect and its cellular 

mechanism of action.

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