Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 31, 2026

Mouse Electroacupuncture Fixation Device Fabrication for Electroacupuncture Pretreatment in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy Mouse Model
05:58

Mouse Electroacupuncture Fixation Device Fabrication for Electroacupuncture Pretreatment in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy Mouse Model

Published on: April 18, 2025

729

Therapeutic effects of pentoxifylline on diabetic heart tissue via NOS

Derya Karabulut1, Hasan Basri Ulusoy, Emin Kaymak

  • 1Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University; Kayseri-Turkey. drmfatihsonmez@hotmail.com.

Anatolian Journal of Cardiology
|October 22, 2015
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Diabetes causes heart damage by affecting nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Pentoxifylline treatment improved NOS expression in diabetic rats, suggesting a therapeutic role in mitigating diabetes-induced cardiac pathology.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Research
  • Molecular Biology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Diabetes mellitus is associated with reduced cardiac output, blood pressure, and heart rate.
  • Cardiac pathology in diabetes involves molecular changes affecting heart function.
  • Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) plays a critical role in cardiovascular regulation and disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the molecular impact of NOS on heart pathology in type 1 diabetes.
  • To evaluate the therapeutic potential of pentoxifylline in ameliorating diabetes-induced cardiac damage.

Main Methods:

  • An experimental study involving 50 Wistar albino male rats divided into control, diabetes, diabetes + pentoxifylline, and pentoxifylline-only groups.
  • Assessment of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in heart tissue using immunohistochemistry.
  • Statistical analysis of data using one-way ANOVA.

Main Results:

  • Diabetes induced significant cardiac pathology, including cardiomyocyte degeneration and loss of myofibrils.
  • A decrease in nNOS and iNOS expression was observed in diabetic rat hearts compared to controls.
  • Pentoxifylline administration improved nNOS and iNOS expression in diabetic hearts.

Conclusions:

  • Diabetes mellitus causes substantial heart tissue damage.
  • NOS is implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetes-related cardiac injury.
  • Pentoxifylline demonstrates a beneficial effect by improving NOS expression in the context of diabetic cardiomyopathy.

More Related Videos

En Face Detection of Nitric Oxide and Superoxide in Endothelial Layer of Intact Arteries08:58

En Face Detection of Nitric Oxide and Superoxide in Endothelial Layer of Intact Arteries

Published on: February 25, 2016

10.2K
Improved Renal Denervation Mitigated Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion08:35

Improved Renal Denervation Mitigated Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion

Published on: May 26, 2022

4.5K

Related Concept Videos

Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway01:28

Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway

Nitric oxide (NO), an inorganic gas, acts as a potent second messenger in most animal and plant tissues. NO diffuses out of the cells that produce it and enters the neighboring cells to generate a downstream response. NO synthase (NOS) catalyzes NO production by the deamination of the amino acid arginine. There are three isoforms of NOS. Endothelial cells have endothelial NOS (eNOS), nerve and muscle cells have neuronal NOS (nNOS), and macrophages produce inducible NOS (iNOS) upon exposure...
6.8K
Antianginal Drugs: Nitrates and β-Blockers01:16

Antianginal Drugs: Nitrates and β-Blockers

In cardiovascular health, antianginal drugs combat angina pectoris — a condition marked by chest pain owing to diminished blood flow to the heart.
Organic nitrates,  such as nitroglycerin, play a pivotal role. Once metabolized, they liberate nitric oxide, a molecular marvel. Nitric oxide triggers guanylyl cyclase and augments cGMP production. This biochemical cascade orchestrates the relaxation of vascular smooth muscles, ushering in vasodilation and enhancing coronary blood flow....
1.9K
Antihypertensive Drugs: Vasodilators01:23

Antihypertensive Drugs: Vasodilators

Vasodilators, primarily affecting the smooth muscles within arterial and venous walls, are commonly used for hypertension treatment. Medications such as minoxidil and hydralazine primarily target arteries and arterioles, while sodium nitroprusside acts on arterioles and venules. Minoxidil, functioning as a prodrug, is metabolized by hepatic sulfotransferase into its active form, minoxidil sulfate, after oral administration. This metabolite binds to the sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) component of...
2.5K
Coronary Artery Disease II: Pathophysiology01:26

Coronary Artery Disease II: Pathophysiology

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) originates from a series of events that impair the function of coronary arteries, the blood vessels responsible for delivering oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. The pathophysiology of CAD is closely linked to atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory and lipid-driven condition affecting the vascular endothelium.1. Endothelial DamageThe process begins with damage to the vascular endothelium, which serves as a protective barrier between the blood and the vessel...
970
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors01:28

Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors

Phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors are potent enzymes that function to hydrolyze cyclic nucleotides to their corresponding 5' monophosphates. Their unique biochemical properties have been applied in treating Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH).
Among the PDE5 inhibitors, sildenafil (Revatio) stands out as a competitive and selective inhibitor. It operates by elevating cellular levels of cGMP and augmenting signaling through the cGMP-PKG pathway, promoting vasodilation. Upon oral...
737
Heart Failure Drugs: Inotropic Agents01:26

Heart Failure Drugs: Inotropic Agents

Positive inotropic agents are commonly used as the first line of treatment for heart failure. One such agent is digoxin, derived from the genus Digitalis, which has been known for centuries but effectively utilized since 1785. However, these cardiac glycosides can have potentially toxic effects due to their mechanism of action, which involves inhibiting Na+/K+-ATPase and increasing contractility. Digoxin is absorbed orally and distributed in various tissues, including the CNS. It has a long...
1.9K