The Effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum on Lipid Profiles and Histology Via Up-Regulation of LDL Receptor Gene Expression in Hamsters Fed a High Cholesterol Diet

Recently, medicinal plants have become the focus of more attention due to their potentially effective roles in the prevention and treatment of many diseases.
The aim of this research was to examine the effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (CZ) on lipid profile and histological changes due to LDL receptor (LDL-R) gene expression in hamsters fed a high cholesterol diet.
Thirty-two male hamsters were allocated into four groups (eight in each group under four weeks of treatment) as follows: group ND were fed a standard normal diet; group HCD were fed a normal diet supplemented with high cholesterol; group HCD CZ2 were fed a high cholesterol diet (HCD) along with 2% CZ; and group HCD CZ8 were fed an HCD diet along with 8% CZ. After the treatment process, blood samples were taken from all of studied animals, and sera were prepared for lipid profile assays. Liver LDL-R gene expression was assayed using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Liver histological changes were determined using the hematoxylin and eosin staining method.
A significant reduction was observed in serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-c), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels in the HCD CZ8 group, while serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels increased when compared with the HCD group (P The administration of CZ improved dyslipidemia in hypercholesterolemic animals, probably by increasing LDL-R gene expression in the liver; consequently, it can be concluded that CZ can reverse hepatic steatosis. Therefore, CZ was determined as having a protective role against hypercholesterolemia.