Diabetes drug Metformin is impacting the brain: Here’s why

WEB DESK: A latest study has reported Metrformin drug that’s being used by diabetes patient with type 2 has a direct impact on the brain of the individuals.

Here is why

The Metformin that has been used for over a period of 60 years has now been decoded by experts, warning the diabetes type 2 patients.

According to the study, the medicines are helping lower the blood sugar, while the findings also highlighted the significance of how alternatives can lead to more targeted and effective diabetes therapies comparatively.

The findings being witnessed by the researchers were based on an identified protein called Rap1, present in a part of the brain called the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH). Some of these researchers had identified Rap1’s impact on glucose metabolism.

The findings of the study are published in the Science Advances.  

The study focused, as per ScienceDaily, their research on genetically engineered mice that lacked Rap1 in the VMH, and these mice were put on a high-fat diet to imitate type 2 diabetes.

After low doses of these metformin were administered to the mices, there was not much improvement in their blood sugar levels.

On the other hand, other diabetes treatments, for instance insulin and GLP-1 agonists, worked effectively.

Following this, the study then jabbed very small quantities of metformin directly into the brains of the mice with diabetes. A significant reduction in blood sugar levels was noted, even when the doses were thousands of times lower than those usually taken orally.

According to Makoto Fukuda, pathophysiologist at Baylor, cited by ScienceAlert, “It’s been widely accepted that metformin lowers blood glucose primarily by reducing glucose output in the liver. Other studies have found that it acts through the gut.”

“We looked into the brain as it is widely recognised as a key regulator of whole-body glucose metabolism. We investigated whether and how the brain contributes to the anti-diabetic effects of metformin.”

The team also closely analysed the specific neurons that metformin was affecting. In future, this could help in targeted treatments that specifically aim these neurons.