Different Pharmacokinetic Responses to an Acute Dose of Inorganic Nitrate in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

In this study, we aimed to compare the pharmacokinetics of nitrate (NO3) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and healthy adults. Potential effects of salivary nitrate reductase (NR) activity on cardiometabolic responses to an acute dose of NO3 was also assessed.Nine healthy adults and nine T2DM patients were recruited to consume a NO3-rich breakfast (~410 mg NO3). Pharmacokinetics of NO3 were examined using repeated measurements of NOx (nitrate+ nitrite) concentrations of serum and saliva over 8 hours and NO3 concentrations of spot and 24-h urine samples. Cardiometabolic parameters, including serum levels of glucose, insulin, and triglycerides as well as blood pressure were also measured.Compared to patients with T2DM, serum NOx concentration (Δ1= 16.7 vs. 4.4 μmol/L, P=0.057) of healthy subjects sharply increased within 1 hour after NO3 loading. Healthy subjects had a higher NR activity index, and higher peak salivary NO3 concentration with a lower time to peak. Diabetic patients with high- compared to low-NR values had a higher whole-body NOx exposure (103±31.4 vs. 58.9±22.1 μmol.h/L); they also showed a better glycemic response and more reduction of blood pressure following ingestion of a NO3-rich meal.T2DM may be associated with a different pattern of NOx pharmacokinetics (especially salivary NOx metabolism). Salivary NR activity may have a critical role in postprandial metabolism of NO3, and diabetic patients with higher NR activity may take more advantages from NO3 supplementation.