Antioxidant treatment for impaired hypoxic ventilatory responses in experimental diabetes in the rat

Inflammation, tissue hypoxia, and impaired hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) are the intricately entwined features of diabetes which perpetuate the disease and its sequelae. Hyperglycemia, notably, is an oxygen consuming process due to enhanced cellular metabolism. Oxidative stress underlies diabetic pathogenesis and also is a crucial modulator of the hypoxic chemoreflex. The present study seeks to determine if suppressed ventilation in diabetes could be improved by antioxidant treatment. The study was performed in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in awake rats. Two weeks into full-fledged diabetes, the rats were divided into mangiferin (potent natural antioxidant)-treated and untreated, wi…