Cinnamon Bark Aqueous Extract Mitigates High-Fat High-Sugar Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysregulation: Amelioration of Obesity, Hyperlipidemia, and Insulin Resistance in Rats

Abstract Cinnamon bark, a well-known medicinal substance, has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, immunoregulatory, and antidiabetic properties. Conse-quently, this research examines the potential moderating influences of cinnamon bark aqueous extract (CBAE) on rats subjected to a high fat and high sugar diet (HFHSD) for 120 days. Fifty male rats were divided into 4 groups of 10 rats each and subjected to oral treatment for 120 days. Group A (control) received normal saline, Group B received just HFHSD, Group C received HFHSD + CBAE (100 mg/kg BW), Group D received HFHSD + CBAE (200 mg/kg BW). Body weight (BW), food consumption, food efficiency ratios (FERs), water intake, and the relative weights of visceral fat, liver, and spleen were assessed. Fasting glucose, insulin, HDL-C, LDL-C, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) were measured. The study revealed no toxicity in rats treated with CBAE at doses as high as 200 mg/kg BW. HFHSD-fed rats gained more weight, had significant visceral fat and liver weights and consumed less water. CBAE treatment lowered body weight, visceral fat, and liver weights in rats receiving HFHSD, while also enhancing water intake compared to those fed solely HFHSD. The fasting glucose, insulin, LDL-C, TC, TG levels and the LDL/HDL ratio rose, while HDL-C and IRS-1 levels fell in rats consuming HFHSD. In contrast, CABE treatment decreased the levels of fasting glucose, insulin, LDL, TC and TG and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio whilst enhance both HDL and IRS-1 levels. In conclusion, oralintake of CABE may act as a beneficial traditional remedy for preventing obesity, hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance in rats.