Metformin; a mini-review to its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties

Abstract

Metformin, a hypoglycemic drug, increases peripheral glucose uptake, decreases liver glucose production and suppresses insulin resistance in liver and skeletal muscle. The molecular anti-inflammatory mechanism of metformin involves the reduction of the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines through AMPK activation. It can reduce endothelial dysfunction by ameliorating the expression of inflammatory gene and protein like vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and vasodilating maternal vessels. Many studies showed that AMPK activation were the main contributors to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of metformin.