Cinnamon zeylanicum attenuates oxidative stress and improves neurobehavioral activity in lead induced neurotoxicity

The present study has been carried out to investigate the neuroprotective activity of cinnamon (Cinnamon zeylanicumin) on lead induced neurotoxicity and behavioral impairments in rats. Different behavioral parameters and biochemical assays in brain of rats were observed. Rats exposed to lead (lead acetate 5.0mg/kg body weight p.o. for 28 days) caused a significant decrease in body weight, brain weight and behavioral changes as compared to controls. The increased levels of lead in blood and brain also increases the levels of ROS, LPO and decreases the levels of GSH with concomitant reduction in SOD, CAT and GPx activities in brain of rats treated with lead as compared to controls. Co-treatment of lead with cinnamon oil (75mg/kg body weight p.o. for 28 days) decreases the levels of ROS, LPO and increases the level of GSH, SOD, CAT and GPx activity and showed improvements in behavioral changes as compared to lead treated groups. The results obtained were compared with vitamin E (100 mg/kg body weight p.o. for 28 days)as the standard antioxidant drug. Our results suggested that, cinnamon oil causes improvement in behavioral deficits and oxidative stress similar to that of standard drug, vitamin-E. This work reveals the potential of cinnamon oil as a protective drug for lead induced neurotoxicity and associated human health risk.