Mangiferin mitigates diabetic cardiomyopathy in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cardioprotective effect of mangiferin on diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). The DCM model was induced by a high-fat diet and a low dose of streptozotocin. We evaluated the characteristics of DCM by serial echocardiography, electron microscopy, histopathologic analysis of cardiomyocyte fibrosis area, and Western blot analysis of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 expression. Rats with DCM showed severe left ventricular dysfunction and cardiac fibrosis. Mangiferin mitigated DCM and prevented the accumulation of myocardial collagen. These anatomic findings were accompanied by significant improvements in cardiac function. Based on these results, we conclude that mangiferin has a therapeutic effect on DCM and improves cardiac function.