Diverse Applications of the Anti-Diabetic Drug Metformin in Treating Human Disease

Metformin is a commonly used drug for treating type 2 diabetes. Metformin is an inexpensive drug with low/no side effects and is well tolerated in human patients of different ages. Recent therapeutic strategies for human disease have considered the benefits of drug repurposing. This includes the use...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chris-Tiann Roberts, Nicole Raabe, Lara Wiegand, Ashraf Kadar Shahib, Mojgan Rastegar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Pharmaceuticals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/17/12/1601
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850037465678610432
author Chris-Tiann Roberts
Nicole Raabe
Lara Wiegand
Ashraf Kadar Shahib
Mojgan Rastegar
author_facet Chris-Tiann Roberts
Nicole Raabe
Lara Wiegand
Ashraf Kadar Shahib
Mojgan Rastegar
author_sort Chris-Tiann Roberts
collection DOAJ
description Metformin is a commonly used drug for treating type 2 diabetes. Metformin is an inexpensive drug with low/no side effects and is well tolerated in human patients of different ages. Recent therapeutic strategies for human disease have considered the benefits of drug repurposing. This includes the use of the anti-diabetic drug metformin. Accordingly, the anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-viral, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective potentials of metformin have deemed it a suitable candidate for treating a plethora of human diseases. As results from preclinical studies using cellular and animal model systems appear promising, clinical trials with metformin in the context of non-diabetes-related illnesses have been started. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the therapeutic potential of metformin in different animal models of human disease and its suggested relationship to epigenetics and ailments with epigenetic components.
format Article
id doaj-art-fe1840f4f5d94ef5adcbdfbe6c0965dc
institution DOAJ
issn 1424-8247
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Pharmaceuticals
spelling doaj-art-fe1840f4f5d94ef5adcbdfbe6c0965dc2025-08-20T02:56:51ZengMDPI AGPharmaceuticals1424-82472024-11-011712160110.3390/ph17121601Diverse Applications of the Anti-Diabetic Drug Metformin in Treating Human DiseaseChris-Tiann Roberts0Nicole Raabe1Lara Wiegand2Ashraf Kadar Shahib3Mojgan Rastegar4Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, CanadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, CanadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, CanadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, CanadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, CanadaMetformin is a commonly used drug for treating type 2 diabetes. Metformin is an inexpensive drug with low/no side effects and is well tolerated in human patients of different ages. Recent therapeutic strategies for human disease have considered the benefits of drug repurposing. This includes the use of the anti-diabetic drug metformin. Accordingly, the anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-viral, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective potentials of metformin have deemed it a suitable candidate for treating a plethora of human diseases. As results from preclinical studies using cellular and animal model systems appear promising, clinical trials with metformin in the context of non-diabetes-related illnesses have been started. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the therapeutic potential of metformin in different animal models of human disease and its suggested relationship to epigenetics and ailments with epigenetic components.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/17/12/1601metformindrug repurposingepigeneticshuman diseasetype 2 diabetes
spellingShingle Chris-Tiann Roberts
Nicole Raabe
Lara Wiegand
Ashraf Kadar Shahib
Mojgan Rastegar
Diverse Applications of the Anti-Diabetic Drug Metformin in Treating Human Disease
Pharmaceuticals
metformin
drug repurposing
epigenetics
human disease
type 2 diabetes
title Diverse Applications of the Anti-Diabetic Drug Metformin in Treating Human Disease
title_full Diverse Applications of the Anti-Diabetic Drug Metformin in Treating Human Disease
title_fullStr Diverse Applications of the Anti-Diabetic Drug Metformin in Treating Human Disease
title_full_unstemmed Diverse Applications of the Anti-Diabetic Drug Metformin in Treating Human Disease
title_short Diverse Applications of the Anti-Diabetic Drug Metformin in Treating Human Disease
title_sort diverse applications of the anti diabetic drug metformin in treating human disease
topic metformin
drug repurposing
epigenetics
human disease
type 2 diabetes
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/17/12/1601
work_keys_str_mv AT christiannroberts diverseapplicationsoftheantidiabeticdrugmetforminintreatinghumandisease
AT nicoleraabe diverseapplicationsoftheantidiabeticdrugmetforminintreatinghumandisease
AT larawiegand diverseapplicationsoftheantidiabeticdrugmetforminintreatinghumandisease
AT ashrafkadarshahib diverseapplicationsoftheantidiabeticdrugmetforminintreatinghumandisease
AT mojganrastegar diverseapplicationsoftheantidiabeticdrugmetforminintreatinghumandisease