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Metformin is a widely prescribed drug for managing type 2 diabetes. In recent years, indications of its potential anticancer properties have emerged in research. A study has found that metformin activates the body's immune cells. The effect was particularly observed in what are known as dendritic cells, which are the most effective in helping the immune system identify cancer cells as foreign entities. "Our study found that metformin contributed to the metabolism of dendritic cells so that they became active and enhanced the immune response against cancer cells," says Rita Turpin. Identifying this effect can help to develop anticancer therapies...

A study suggests a class of medications used to treat type 2 diabetes may also reduce the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). "Our results clearly demonstrate that GLP-1 RAs are significantly more effective than popular anti-diabetic drugs, such as Metformin or insulin, at preventing the development of CRC," said Nathan Berger. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1 RAs, are medications to treat type 2 diabetes. Usually given by injection, they can lower blood-sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity and help manage weight. They've also been shown to reduce the rates of major cardiovascular ailments. Importantly the protective effect of GLP-1 RAs...

A study suggests metformin is a drug that could prevent the progression of prostate cancer, but only for tumors with low levels of NKX3.1, which are more likely to develop into aggressive cancers. The researchers found metformin restores cancer-fighting mitochondrial activity that is lost when NKX3.1 levels are low, prevents prostate cancer progression in mice, and is associated with better survival in patients with low-NKX3.1 tumors but not high-NKX3.1 tumors. Papachristodoulou found that when prostate cells are under oxidative stress (as happens during prostate cancer development), NKX3.1 moves into the cells' mitochrondria to reduce stress and protect the cells. If...

A new method of controlling inflammation and sugar levels for oral and systemic disease prevention using a common diabetes drug has been discovered by a team of researchers. A team of researchers have found new ways of stopping periodontal (gum) disease and potentially reducing the incidence of diabetes and obesity. This new approach focuses on controlling inflammation and sugar levels in both the mouth and body with a common type 2 diabetes drug, Metformin. The only treatment strategy currently available to tackle gum disease is to deep clean the teeth to rid the mouth of bacteria, as well as prescribing...

Patients with localized prostate cancer have a good chance of survival, but mortality rates among those with advanced, metastatic forms of the condition remain high. Until now, the precise mechanism behind the spread of the tumor has not been fully explained. But a research team has succeeded in decoding the underlying cellular signal pathway and has carried out research using a common diabetes medication that could provide a new treatment option. The research team examined prostate cancer cells and identified the key factors in the regulation of tumor cell growth and the way they interact with each other. The protein...

You might not think of diabetes when you think of muscle function. But a common diabetes drug that regulates blood sugar can also prevent muscle atrophy and muscular fibrosis—which can help the elderly bounce back faster from injury or illness. Researchers have discovered that Metformin can target "zombie-like cells," called senescent cells, which impact muscle function. Senescent cells secrete factors associated with inflammation that may underlie fibrotic tissue, a hardening or scarring of tissues. Metformin also reduces muscle atrophy. There's an optimal level of senescent cells that are beneficial, no matter your age. To test the intervention in humans, the...

International research led by QIMR Berghofer has found hundreds of new genes linked to a person's risk of developing glaucoma, including key genetic targets that could, for the first time, pave the way for treatments that prevent the retinal damage that causes blindness. The findings, from the largest-ever global genetic study of the degenerative eye disease, have been published in Nature Genetics. The research significantly advances our understanding of the genetics of glaucoma, building on a previous 2021 study to identify another 185 previously unknown genes linked to glaucoma risk, bringing the total number to 312 genes. "Existing treatments focus...

Taking a two-week course of metformin, a safe and affordable diabetes medication after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 leads to 40% fewer long COVID diagnoses over the following 10 months, compared to individuals taking a placebo, finds a study. The long-term symptoms some people experience after SARS-CoV-2 infection, known as long COVID, are an emerging chronic illness potentially affecting millions of people around the world. Currently there are no proven treatments or ways to prevent long COVID, other than reducing the risk of infection in the first place. This is the first phase 3 randomized controlled trial of a treatment for...

Metformin, the gold standard for diabetes treatment, causes modest weight loss The cheap drug is popular among tech figures for purported anti-aging benefits It is one of several highly popular tools out there for promoting weight loss A cheap diabetes pill has become the latest craze among tech moguls who claim it can reverse aging and melt body fat - but it can cause explosive diarrhea. Studies show the 20c pill promotes weight loss, while preliminary studies in mice models suggest the medication can improve life and health spans. Metformin - the world's most common treatment for type 2 diabetes...

researchers have identified a common diabetes medication, metformin, as a possible treatment for atrial fibrillation. The study built on ongoing research to support metformin as a drug repurposing candidate. Researchers used advanced computation and genetic sequencing to determine that metformin's targets overlap significantly with genes dysregulated in atrial fibrillation. "Finding drugs or procedures to treat atrial fibrillation is difficult because of potential serious side effects," said Mina Chung, M.D. "There is a significant need for new treatments for atrial fibrillation as there have been no new drugs approved in more than a decade." "It's not that we've found a new...

A half-century-old diabetes drug appears to help treat bipolar disorder by reversing patients' insulin resistance. Bipolar patients who responded to the drug metformin experienced improvement in their mood disorder as their insulin resistance decreased, said Dr. Cynthia Calkin. "We saw this improvement as early as week six in the study," she said. "Week 14 was the study endpoint, and patients remained significantly improved or in remission." Calkin noted that some patients who started off in the trial are still in remission, six or seven years later. Metformin helps treat type 2 diabetes by reducing production of glucose by the liver...

A large cohort study found that babies born to men who took metformin during the period of sperm development were at increased risk for birth defects, specifically genital defects in boys. These finding suggest that men with diabetes who are taking metformin should talk to their doctors about whether they should switch to another treatment when trying to conceive a child. However, because diabetes control also affects sperm quality, discontinuing metformin treatment could also affect birth outcomes. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Diabetes increasingly occurs in people of reproductive age, compromises sperm quality, and is associated...

A new study confirms the health benefits of moderate calorie restrictions in humans—and identifies a key protein that could be harnessed to extend health in humans. Dixit started by analyzing the thymus, a gland that sits above the heart and produces T cells, a type of white blood cell and an essential part of the immune system. The thymus ages at a faster rate than other organs. By the time healthy adults reach the age of 40, said Dixit, 70% of the thymus is already fatty and nonfunctional. And as it ages, the thymus produces fewer T cells. They found...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 12/28/2021 – Cranford, New Jersey, Viona Pharmaceuticals Inc., is voluntarily recalling thirty three (33) lots of Metformin Hydrochloride Extended-Release Tablets, USP 750 mg to the retail level. Reason for the recall is an Out of specification result observed for the said product, Lot number M008132, “N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) (By GC-MS/MS)” test at 17 Month(s), 25°C/60%RH Long-term stability samples. As a precautionary measure firm voluntarily recall all the marketed 33 batches having valid shelf life. This product was manufactured by Cadila Healthcare Limited, Ahmedabad, India for U.S. distribution by Viona Pharmaceuticals Inc. Risk Statement: NDMA is classified as...

It is well known that obesity affects the body's insulin production and over time risks leading to type 2 diabetes and several other metabolic diseases. Now researchers have found further explanation for why fat cells cause metabolic morbidity. Many metabolic diseases, among them type 2 diabetes, are strongly associated with obesity. In order to reverse the trend, more knowledge is needed, among other things, about how fat cells (adipocytes) contribute to various harmful processes in tissues and organs. When fat cells are enlarged, they begin to secrete factors that cause inflammation of the adipose tissue. Fat cell enlargement is also...

First hydroxychloroquine, now ivermectin, is the hated deadly drug de jour, castigated by the medical establishment and regulatory authorities. Both drugs have been around for a long time as FDA-approved prescription medications. Yet now we are told they are as deadly as arsenic. As a physician, I am certainly aware of ivermectin but don’t recall ever writing a prescription for it in my 30+ years’ medical career. Ivermectin is an anthelmintic, meaning it cures parasitic infections. In my world of ophthalmology, it is used on occasion for rare parasitic or worm infections in the eye. Ivermectin was FDA approved in...

Two more drugmakers have recalled their metformin products following an FDA warning that it found unacceptable levels of a carcinogen in the drugs. Lupin Pharmaceuticals, based in Mumbai, India, is recalling all lots of its metformin extended-release tablets after finding certain batches were above the acceptable daily intake level for N-Nitrosodimethylamine, NDMA, a carcinogen. Metformin is the generic name for a type of drug that is used to improve blood glucose control in adults with Type 2 diabetes. Granules Pharmaceuticals, based in Hyderabad, India, is recalling 12 lots of its metformin tablets for the same reason. Neither drugmaker said they...

At the risk of upsetting a few folks, someone who appears to be in the know has tossed a small bucket of cold water on the notorious hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin drug cocktail: [....] First up is this study from France. It’s another very small one, and all the usual warnings apply because of that. It’s from a team at the University of Paris and Saint-Louis Hospital there, and they evaluated 11 consecutive patients admitted there with the same course of treatment as the Marseilles group first reported (hydroxychloroquine 600mg/day and azithromycin, 500mg the first day and 250 mg/day thereafter). The...

Prescribing metformin and vildagliptin to people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes reduced their long-term blood sugar levels more than single-drug therapy in a recent study. Sept. 18 (UPI) -- When it comes to controlling early symptoms of type 2 diabetes, two drugs are better than one, a new study says. Prescribing metformin and vildagliptin to people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes reduced their long-term blood sugar levels more than single-drug therapy, according to findings published Wednesday in The Lancet. The patients also had lower rates of treatment failure than those who only used Metformin, the current first-line drug...

Metformin is approved in the US as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. A new study by Cardiff University, UK, involving over 180,000 people, reveals that the drug could also increase the lifespan of those individuals who are non-diabetics. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are around 29.1 million people in the US with diabetes, equating to 9.3% of the population. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90-95% of diabetes cases and is usually associated with older age, obesity and physical inactivity, family history of type 2 diabetes or a personal history of gestational diabetes. Senior...