Metformin protects the skeletal muscle glycogen stores against alterations inherent to functional limitation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the glycogen content (GC) of the rat hind limb muscles submitted to joint immobilization, either associated with metformin treatment (M, 1,4mg.ml-1) or not. In the metformin group, there was a significant increase in the GC (soleus - S 65% , white gastrocnemius - WG 30.5%, red gastrocnemius-RG31.7%, extensor digitorum longus - EDL 44%, tibialis anterior- TA 77.4%). The immobilization significantly reduced the GC (S 31.6%, WG 56.6%, RG 39.1%, ELD 41.7%, TA 45.2%) and weight (S 34.2% and ELD 27%), whereas in the group immobilized with the metformin, there was an increase in the GC of all the muscles (S 177%, WG 290%, RG 172%,ELD 47%, TA 217%), in addition to minimizing the weight loss of S (29.6%) and ELD (27.8%).