Yale researchers uncover the true mechanism of common diabetes drug

[Amity Island]

“Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, or GPD2, catalyzes one step in the process of converting glycerol to glucose by the liver (glycerol gluconeogenesis), and here we show that in fact, metformin and the other guanides/biguanides significantly reduce gluconeogenesis from glycerol in vivo,” LaMoia wrote to the News. “This is clinically very important because gluconeogenesis from glycerol is dysregulated in patients with type 2 diabetes, which leads to increased hepatic glucose production. So, we think this explains why metformin has a more pronounced glucose-lowering effect in patients with type 2 diabetes than those without.”

In other words, the researchers found that metformin inhibits GPD2 by inhibiting complex IV which in turn prevents the catalysis of glycerol to glucose conversion and prevents high levels of gluconeogenesis in the liver.

Yale researchers uncover the true mechanism of common diabetes drug

A new study by Yale researchers at the School of Medicine disproves previously held theories about the mechanism of metformin, one of the most effective medications to treat diabetes.

yaledailynews.com

 

[mikeyB]

Metformin was first discovered in 1922, so it's a hundred years old this year. Good job it's been out of patent for years, so it's as cheap as chips, and one of the most frequently prescribe drugs world wide.

You could describe it as Vegan, since it is derived from guanide compounds found in French Lilac. That's long been used in folk remedies, but not used in humans as a regular medication till the 1950s. It was overshadowed initially because of the diabetic folk heroes Banting and Best and their production of insulin, which is, of course, a lifesaver. Metformin isn't.