Anti-aging properties of metformin

Abstract

Introduction: Life expectancy of human population is being constantly prolonged, hence there is a lot of research into drug that will prevent the effects of aging. There are many reports that metformin, which is a drug used in type 2 diabetes, has anti-aging effects. It belongs to the group of biguanides and has been used since the 1950s. It is a relatively safe, cheap and effective drug, which makes it a promising subject for many studies. The purpose of this review is to present the latest developments in this field. Material and methods: PubMed scientific base was searched using following keywords: metformin, aging, anti-aging, in years 2017-2021. Results: Numerous studies show that metformin has an impact on aging through the nutrient pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, and its effects on reactive oxygen species. In addition, it has an anti-cancer effect, inhibiting, among others, rectal cancer cells and p53 mutant colon cancer. Research in rodents has shown that this drug has anti-aging effects on many organs, including the CNS, ovaries, prostate, heart muscle and skin. Conclusions: Metformin, which is the most commonly used oral drug in type 2 diabetes, has many other mechanisms of action. Its anti-aging effect works on many organs in our bodies, which gives hope to find an anti-aging substance. However, multicentre, randomized trials are needed to determine the exact anti-aging dose, its possible side effects, and effects on various organisms.

The use of stem cells in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and its complications - review

“…Diabetes not only reduces the quality and length of life, but also in an insidious and chronic way leads to serious complications such as neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy, accelerated development of atherosclerosis and diabetic foot syndrome [5,6]. Pharmacological treatment of diabetes is most often based on a therapy consisting of several drugs, the basic of which is metformin [7]. However, the increasing number of patients, the number of complications and adverse effects of drugs mean that new treatment methods are constantly being sought.…”