Hyderabad: A study by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) has found that cinnamon could be effective in treating prostate cancer as its components were found to have chemopreventive effect.
The components were also found to be effective in decreasing bone degeneration. The NIN reported the results that it found in rats.
The NIN study, ‘Chemopreventive effect of cinnamon and its bioactive compounds in a rat model of premalignant prostate carcinogenesis,’ was published in the international peer-reviewed journal ‘Cancer Prevention Research.’ it was conducted to assess the efficacy of cinnamon and its bioactive compounds (cinnamaldehyde or procyanidin B2) in vivo in male rats.
As a part of the study, adult rats were given cinnamon or its bioactive compounds through the diet before induction of cancer. Up to 70 per cent of the rats which had the cinnamon showed normal prostate histologically, meaning there was decrease in the cancer.
Dr Ayesha Ismail, head of endocrinology division, who led the study, said, “ We tried to decipher the probable mechanism(s) for the chemopreventive effect and observed that cinnamon and its active components could mitigate oxidative stress, decrease spread of cancer cells in the prostate gland. We also observed beneficial effects on bone mineral content and decrease in bone degeneration in these rats”.’
Dr Hemalatha R., NIN director, said that it was encouraging to see an Indian spice commonly used in cuisines to be effective in the treatment of cancer. However, detailed studies were required before any dietary recommendation could be made.
