Molecular, cellular, and metabolic insights of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) advantages in diabetes and related complications: condiment or medication?

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a growing concern in public health, which affects about 10% of the population. There are several chronic complications due to DM, including kidney failure, blindness, amputations, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Cinnamon zeylanicum (C. verum, Ceylon cinnamon, or true cinnamon) has been shown to have desirable effects such as anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-dyslipidemia, and anti-inflammatory effects in experimental studies. In this regard, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases have been investigated with keywords of “Cinnamon,” “Cinnamomum zeylanicum,” “diabetes mellitus,” “diabetes complication,” “hypoglycemic,” “anti-hyperglycemic,” and “anti-diabetic” from incept to June 2024. This study aimed to review all pharmacological effects and molecular pathways of C. zeylanicum in DM and its complications in vitro, in vivo, and in clinical. Based on these studies, C. zeylanicum has good potential to design human studies for controlling and modifying DM and its related disorders.