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Cinnamon: does it hold its promises in cows? Using non-targeted blood serum metabolomics profiling to test the effects of feeding cinnamon to dairy cows undergoing lactation-induced insulin resistance

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Abstract

Introduction

Cinnamon exerts insulin-enhancing activity in vitro and was demonstrated to improve blood glucose and lipid profiles in several human studies. Such effects may have an impact on metabolically stressed cows.

Objective

To study the effects of cinnamon supplementation during the transition from late pregnancy to early lactation on the metabolism in dairy cows.

Methods

Twenty-four Holstein cows (n = 8/group) were assigned to either the control group (CTR; without supplementation) or the supplementation groups [supplemental cinnamon at 20 (LCIN) or 40 (HCIN) g/cow per day (d)] from 28 d before calving until 21 d thereafter. Blood samples were assayed for glucose, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), and insulin; an index estimating insulin sensitivity (RQUICKI) was calculated. The serum metabolome was characterized in the samples collected from d 14 using a non-targeted approach.

Results

The serum concentrations of glucose and insulin did not differ among groups and followed a similar pattern over time. The serum NEFA concentrations were greater in LCIN (d 2, 7, and 14) and HCIN (d 14) than in CTR. On d 14 and 21, LCIN and HCIN had greater serum BHBA concentrations than CTR cows. The top 10 metabolites identified with significantly higher levels in the supplemented than the CTR cows were related to fatty acid metabolism.

Conclusion

The data suggest lipolytic and ketogenic effects of cinnamon supplementation in dairy cows during the transition from late gestation to early lactation. The fatty acid metabolites found elevated in the supplemented cows point towards impaired mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their appreciation to the staff of Shirsar Dairy Facilities (Varamin, Iran) for diligent animal care and to Dr. M. Tabatabaii (Varamin, Iran) for his help in conducting this experiment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Animal Science, Physiology and Hygiene Unit, University of Bonn, 53115, Bonn, Germany

    Hassan Sadri, AliReza Alizadeh & Helga Sauerwein

  2. Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, 516616471, Tabriz, Iran

    Hassan Sadri

  3. Department of Embryology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

    AliReza Alizadeh

  4. Department of Animal Science, Saveh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Saveh, Iran

    Hani Vakili

  5. Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

    Ali Ghorbani

  6. Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bremgartenstr. 109a, 3001, Bern, Switzerland

    Rupert M. Bruckmaier

  7. Institute of Experimental Genetics, Genome Analysis Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany

    Anna Artati & Jerzy Adamski

  8. Lehrstuhl für Experimentelle Genetik, Technische Universität München, 85350, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany

    Jerzy Adamski

  9. German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764, München-Neuherberg, Germany

    Jerzy Adamski

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  1. Hassan Sadri
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  2. AliReza Alizadeh
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  3. Hani Vakili
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  6. Anna Artati
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  8. Helga Sauerwein
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Correspondence to Helga Sauerwein.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

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Sadri, H., Alizadeh, A., Vakili, H. et al. Cinnamon: does it hold its promises in cows? Using non-targeted blood serum metabolomics profiling to test the effects of feeding cinnamon to dairy cows undergoing lactation-induced insulin resistance. Metabolomics 13, 28 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-016-1151-1

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