The effect of cinnamon against cholesterol profile and endothelial functions

Cardiovascular disease is a main reason for mortality and morbidity in the industrialized countries and becomes epidemic in a worldwide. Although genetics tendency is a risk factor for atherosclerosis most of pathology which can be prevented has an important role of atherosclerosis development. Dislipidemia is a major risk factor which can be prevented for pathogenesis of coronary artery disease. Endothelial dysfunction forms main step of atherosclerosis.Diet plays an important role for incidence and severity of dislipidemia and coronary artery disease related with. For this reason, decreasing effect in lipid levels and protector effect against to atherosclerosis of daily nourishment materials becomes important. We aimed to investigate the effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum which has widespread consumption among the people against lipid parameters, total antioxidant status and endothelial dysfunction in healthy individuals.Our study was designed as double blind, randomized and placebo controlled. Total 60 healthy volunteers who were 20-35 ages and non-smoker were involved in this study: 26 female and 35 male. The volunteers were divided to 2 groups: experimental group (n: 40) and control group (n: 20). Following to the involving volunteers in the study, height and weight measurements of all volunteers was performed. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from these measures. 750mg cinnamon (2.25gr/day) cachets was given per orally to the experimental group three times in a day and as the same way and the same doses wheat flour was given to the control group as placebo. Experiment was continued during 30 days and blood samples were collected from all volunteers at the beginning and the end of the study. From collected blood samples, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, VLDL and triglyceride as lipid profile; VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 as endothelial functions; TAS, TOS and OSI parameters as oxidant and anti-oxidant capacity were evaluated.At the result of this study, it was not determined that positive effect of cinnamon on the levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, total anti-oxidant capacity, total oxidant capacity, oxidative stress index and VCAM-1, ICAM-1 as compared with the placebo.Keywords: Cinnamon, Antioxidant Status, Endothelial Dysfunction, Dislipidemia.