Cinnamon attenuates adiposity and affects the expression of metabolic genes in Diet-Induced obesity model of zebrafish

Abstract

The prevalence of obesity is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide with about 30% of the world population classified as obese. Obese body structure results when energy intake exceeds energy expenditure in an individual. Increase in the consumption of high-energy eatables, in the context of portion and energy provided, has resulted in obese populations which is becoming the leading cause of metabolic disorders related to morbidity. The obesity-related comorbidity is an enormous liability on health services and will affect measures taken in tackling the increasing obesity rate. Prevention of an obese phenotype is the most suitable long-term strategy. Another approach towards the treatment of obesity is weight management through phytotherapeutics. In this study, we explored the anti-obesity effects of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) in adult male zebrafish. Through BMI measurements, blood glucose level analyses, serum triglyceride analyses, Oil Red O staining as well as quantitative Real Time-PCR, the ability of cinnamon to reduce metabolic disorders associated with obesity is investigated for the first time in a zebrafish model. Our studies indicate that cinnamon ameliorates the genotypic and phonotypic characteristics associated with obesity through lowering of BMI, blood glucose, triglyceride levels, lipid levels in the liver and through gene modulation.

Keywords:

• Obesity
• metabolic disorders
• diet-induced obesity model
• zebrafish
• Cinnamon

Acknowledgements

All the authors are thankful to Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi, for necessary infrastructure and facilities.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

NK would like to thank SERB-DST for YSS/2015/000648 Young Scientist Grant. HC is thankful to SERB-DST and CII for PM fellowship. VT is grateful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for Research Associate fellowship. MKS would like to acknowledge the support from NSERC, Canada [Grant no. 417652]. RC would like to acknowledge funding from CSIR - 02(0265)/16/EMR-II.