Effect of cinnamon-extract supplementation on VEGF and Endostatin level in hind leg muscle of aged rats after one session of exhaustive exercise

The purpose of this study was to assess effect of cinnamon extract supplementation on VEGF and Endostatin protein level in hind leg muscle of aged rats after one session of exhaustive exercise.

Thirty two aged male Wistar rats were subdivided into four groups randomly: exhaustive exercise (EX, n = 8), cinnamon extract (CE, n = 8), cinnamon extract and exhaustive exercise (CE-Ex, n = 8) and control without exhaustive exercise (n = 8). CE and CE-EX groups received (200 mg/kg) cinnamon extract by intra-gastric intubation for 14 days. CE-EX groups and EX performed an exhaustive running test on a treadmill. In the first 10 min, the animals walked on the treadmill at a speed of 10 m/min to warm up. The speed was then increased by 2 m/min every 2 min, till reaching the maximum speed of 28 m/min. The rats were then anesthetized immediately and 4h after trial, and SOL and EDL muscles were removed. VEGF and Endostatin protein level were measured in the muscles by western blot method. Data were analyzed by independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

VEGF decreased immediately (p ≤ 0.05) and increased 4 h after exercise in SOL muscle (p ≤ 0.05) of EX group. Endostatin increased immediately and 4 h after exercise in SOL muscle of EX group (p ≤ 0.05). VEGF decreased and Endostatin increased in SOL muscle of CE group. VEGF/Endostatin decreased in EDL muscle of all groups.

Cinnamon extract supplementation inhibited angiogenesis in CE group in SOL muscle but was not inhibited 4 h after exercise in CE-EX group. The raise in VEGF level 4 h after exercise indicates that exercise can overcome the inhibitory effects of cinnamon on angiogenesis.