An in-vivo study on postprandial hyperglycemia to assess antidiabetic activity of alcoholic extract of Cinnamomum verum bark

Background and objective Cinnamomum verum bark is locally known as ‘Daruchini’ and is traditionally reputed as an Ayurvedic medicine, which is used in the treatment of flatulence, toothache, heart diseases, fever, cough, cold, headache, and many others. In this study, we intended to explore the effectiveness of its activity on hyperglycemia. Materials and methods To evaluate its antihyperglycemic activity, we used various experimental designs, including the effect of plant extract on gastrointestinal (GI) motility in the Swiss albino mice model and intestinal disaccharidase enzyme activity and carbohydrate digestion and absorption in the gut of the Long Evans rats. Results and discussion The plant extract significantly (P<0.001) increased the GI motility rate by ∼16% than the control (distilled water, 10 ml/kg body weight) and indicated that it interfered with the rate of glucose absorption in the gut. Furthermore, treatment with C. verum caused a significant (P<0.05) dose-dependent reduction of intestinal disaccharidase enzyme activity from 1.63 to 1.21 µmol/mg protein/h in fasting Long Evans rats. Besides, the extract produced a similar effect in the acute oral sucrose (2.5 g/kg body weight) load assay, in which a substantial amount of unabsorbed sucrose was found in six different parts of the GI tract after sucrose administration. This indicates that C. verum can liberate GI content and reduce or delay glucose absorption. Conclusion All the findings of the present study point to the conclusion that C. verum has the potential to exert postprandial antihyperglycemic activity within type 2 diabetic animal models through reducing or delaying carbohydrate digestion and absorption in the gut.