THE EFFECT OF CINNAMALDEHYDE ON HIGH FAT DIET INDUCED WISTAR RATS – A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Anti-obesity effect of Cinnamaldehyde and Orlistat on High fat diet induced obese rats was investigated. 30 male wistar albino rats were divided into 5 groups: control group fed on normal standard diet; HFD group; Orlistat (HFD+ 50mg/kg body weight; CA (HFD+ 40mg/Kg body weight) and CA (HFD+ 80mg/Kg body weight) for 8 weeks. The anti obesity activity of CA and OR was estimated in terms of Food intake, body weight gain, feed efficiency ratio, lipid profile, AI, CRI and faecal lipids. Obesity induced group of rats showed significant (p< 0.001) increase in body weight, feed consumption, TG, TC, LDL-c, VLDL-c in serum, AI, CRI and decrease with HDL-c level (p< 0.001) compared with the normal group of rats. The BWG and FER were reduced in CA treated rats. CA treatment also resulted in significant (p< 0.001) decreases in serum TC, TG, LDL-c, AI and CRI and increased (p< 0.001) HDL-c concentrations in a dose dependent manner compared with untreated obese rats. The results were comparable with Orlistat, a standard anti-obesity drug. 80 mg/kg body weight of CA was more effective in reducing the physiological changes, lipid profiles and histopathological changes that occurred in adipose tissue and heart to near normalcy. Significantly increased lipid levelswere discharged in faeces during the supplementation of CA and OR. These preliminary results for the first time demonstrate that administration of CA can be beneficial for the suppression of obesity in HFD fed wistar rats and prevented the development of cardiovascular diseases.