Diabetes is an autoimmune, inflammatory disease affecting many different organ systems and exhibiting both primary and secondary defects. Because diabetes affects a wide range of cellular systems, a multidisciplinary effort has been mounted over the past several decades using a wide range of investigative techniques and methodologies in order to identify molecular mechanisms responsible for cellular dysfunction. Because primary defects at various levels of sub-cellular signaling, intracellular calcium handling, protein expression and energy regulation are often a primary consequence of diabetes. This volume is a compilation of new multidisciplinary research that will broaden our current understanding of diabetes and cardiovascular disease as well as provide the basis for the development of novel therapeutic interventions.

Free- radicals are generated in the minutes following myocardial re-perfusion and this could be the cause of myocardial injury during by Pass surgery. Pretreatment with antioxidants could effectively attenuate re-perfusion injury during global ischemia.Xanthine dehydrogenase is converted into xanthine oxidase and this causes accumulation of hypoxanthine and xanthine in the cell. When re-perfusion starts, fresh oxygen interacts with xanthine oxidane and hypoxanthine to form superoxide anion radical O2.- . Allopurinol can metabolically block the formation of reduced oxygen radical by inhibiting the enzyme xanthine oxidase. More over allopurinal has vasodilator effects and aids in restoring favorable conditions through enhancement of collateral blood flow to the ischemic area.