Authors:

Abstract

Diabetes has affected the lives of over 537 million people aged 20 to 79 years by the year 2021. These statistics are anticipated to escalate to 783 million by the year 2045 according to the International Diabetes Federation. Diabetes leads to cardiovascular diseases, neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy as complications. Therefore, there is an emerging global interest to find better treatment options or supplements which give a synergistic effect with the existing treatments. Some of such experiments based on medicinal herbs. In line with the concept of nutraceuticals and functional foods, considerable effort is being expended in the search for effective plant extracts with properties of controlling hyperglycemia. The genus Cinnamomum comprises 250 species of shrubs and trees that can be found in China, south-east Asia, and Australia. Out of many, two main varieties of cinnamon; Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Cinnamon cassia have been extensively studied to explore their anti-diabetes potential and the mechanism of action. Diverse secondary metabolites compositions have been reported for various parts of Cinnamon and out of many compounds, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, coumarin, cinnamic acid, cinnamyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, and cinnamyl acetate are found as major compounds. The experimental evidence has been given on acting through the various mechanism to control and cure hyperglycemia, i.e.; Auto-phosphorylation and decreased de-phosphorylation of the insulin receptor, translocating glucose transporter 4 (GLUT 4), inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, etc. This review summarizes the scientific knowledge gathered by scientists in the past 12 years on cinnamon in its therapeutic potential and application in diabetes.

Keywords: Cinnamon, Diabetes mellitus, Herbal medicine, Therapeutic potential

How to Cite: Wijenayaka, G. M. U. D., Bulugahapitiya, V. P., & Jayasinghe, S. (2022). Cinnamon, a promising herbal plant for combatting diabetes and Its anti-diabetes mechanisms. Ceylon Journal of Science, 51(4), 335–346. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v51i4.8051