ICOPMAP SPECIAL EDITION Antidiabetic effects of cinnamon (Cinnamomum sp.) and the influence of the compounds it contains
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2025.252.168173Keywords:
Antidiabetic, Cinnamon, In vitro, In vivoAbstract
Background: Cinnamon (Cinnamomum sp.) is a traditional Indonesian herbal plant that has been used as a medicinal agent for centuries. Numerous studies have been conducted, demonstrating the benefits of cinnamon, including its use as an antidiabetic agent.
Objective: This review aims to examine the antidiabetic effects of cinnamon (Cinnamomum sp.) and the influence of the compounds it contains.
Method: This literature review was compiled using electronic databases like PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar with the keywords “Cinnamon or Cinnamomum” and “antidiabetic or hyperglycemia”. The inclusion criteria focused on in vitro and in vivo studies from 2019 to 2024 that examine the blood glucose-lowering effects of cinnamon (Cinnamomum sp.). A total of 15 relevant articles were obtained for review.
Result: Cinnamon contains secondary metabolites such as sinamaldehyde, polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, cinnamic acid, and sinamal acetate, which can inhibit the enzymes α-glucosidase, maltase, and α-amylase, thereby inhibiting carbohydrate hydrolysis and reducing the increase in blood glucose levels.
Conclusion: The antidiabetic effects of cinnamon's secondary metabolites were highlighted in a literature review. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that these compounds lower blood glucose levels by enhancing insulin sensitivity, thereby slowing the rise in blood glucose.
References
Ajibade, A. J., Fakunle, P. B., Adetunji, T. J., & Kehinde, B. D. (2019). Protective effects of aqueous extract of Carica papaya leaf on the liver of Streptozotocin (STZ)-Induced diabetic adult Wistar rats. Asian Journal of Research in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 7(4), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajrimps/2019/v7i430127
ALmohaimeed, H. M., Mohammedsaleh, Z. M., Batawi, A. H., Balgoon, M. J., Ramadan, O. I., Baz, H. A., Al Jaouni, S., & Ayuob, N. N. (2021). Synergistic anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of Cinnamomum cassia and Zingiber officinale alleviate diabetes-induced hippocampal changes in male albino rats: Structural and molecular evidence. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.727049
Anggraini, A. (2020). The benefits of bay leaves antioxidants on blood glucose levels and decrease in neuron apoptosis in the hippocampus of diabetes rats. Jurnal Medika Hutama, 2, 349–355. https://jurnalmedikahutama.com/index.php/JMH/article/view/88
Azzahra, A., Farhani, N., Syahfitri, W., Pasaribu, S. F. (2022). Potential flavonoid content in Bajakah wood as an antidiabetic. Jurnal Pendidikan Tambusai, 6(2), 14345–14350. https://jptam.org/index.php/jptam/article/download/4708/3977/8980
Das, G., Gonçalves, S., Basilio Heredia, J., Romano, A., Jiménez-Ortega, L.A., Gutiérrez-Grijalva, E.P., Shin, H.S., & Patra, J.K. (2022). Cardiovascular protective effects of cinnamon and its major bioactive constituents: An update. Journal of Functional Foods, 97, 105045. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2022.105045
Dewi, N. L. K. A. A., Prameswari, P. N. D., Cahyaningsih, E., Megawati, F., Agustini, N. P. D., & Juliadi, D. (2022). Utilisation of plants as phytoteraphy in diabetes mellitus. Integrasi Obat Traditional, 2(1), 31–42. https://doi.org/10.36733/usadha.v2i1.5562
Gahtori, R., Tripathi, A.H., Kumari, A., Negi, N., Paliwal, A., Tripathi, P., Joshi, P., Rai, R. C., & Upadhyay, S.K. (2023). Anticancer plant-derivatives: Deciphering their oncopreventive and therapeutic potential in molecular terms. Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-023-00465-5
International Diabetes Federation. (2021). IDF Diabetes Atlas: Global estimates of prevalence of diabetes for 2021 and projections for 2045 (10th ed.). https://www.diabetesatlas.org/
Nawaz, A., Ali, T., Naeem, M., Hussain, F., Li, Z., & Nasir, A. (2023). Biochemical, structural characterization and in-vitro evaluation of antioxidant, antibacterial, cytotoxic, and antidiabetic activities of nanosuspensions of Cinnamomum zeylanicum bark extract. Frontiers in Chemistry, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2023.1194389
Nazareno, A. M. A., Purnamasari, L., & Cruz, J. F. dela. (2022). In vivo and in vitro anti-diabetic effects of cinnamon (Cinnamomum sp.) plant extract: A review. Canrea Journal: Food Technology, Nutritions, and Culinary Journal, 5(2), 151–171. https://doi.org/10.20956/canrea.v5i2.673
Silva, M. L., Bernardo, M. A., Singh, J., & de Mesquita, M. F. (2022). Cinnamon as a complementary therapeutic approach for dysglycemia and dyslipidemia control in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its molecular mechanism of action: A review. Nutrients, 14(13), 2773. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14132773
Sivaranjani, R., Zachariah, T. J., & Leela, N. K. (2021). Phytotherapeutic potential of bi-herbal extract of cinnamon and turmeric: in vivo antidiabetic studies. Clinical Phytoscience, 7, 38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40816-021-00275-3
Vijayakumar, K., Rengarajan, R. L., Suganthi, N., Prasanna, B., Velayuthaprabhu, S., Shenbagam, M., & Vijaya Anand, A. (2022). Acute toxicity studies and protective effects of Cinnamon cassia bark extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 45(5), 2086–2096. https://doi.org/10.1080/01480545.2021.1907908
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. https://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v51i4.8051
World Health Organization. (2019). Classification of diabetes mellitus. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/325182
Yusuf, M., Pirman, Nur Fitriani, U. A., Amri, I., & Juwita, A. I. (2021). Identification of polyphenols and α-amylase inhibitory activity of multi herbal formulation: Cocoa beans (Theobroma cocoa), Buni (Antidesma bunius L. Spreng) and Cinnamons (Cinnamomum cassia). Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1783, 012004. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1783/1/012004
