Metformin

Metformin is an activator of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway, and an inhibitor of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex 1 (Rena et al.; Viollet et al.). It acts as an antihyperglycemic agent to lower plasma glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity (Viollet et al.). This product is provided as a hydrochloride salt of the molecule.

DIFFERENTIATION

• Promotes neurogenesis in mouse cortical precursors and human forebrain neural precursors in vitro, and in adult mouse central nervous system in vivo, via activation of the aPKC-CBP pathway (Wang et al.).

METABOLISM

• Stimulates glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and suppresses gluconeogenesis in the liver (Kim et al.; Shaw et al.).
• Reduces fatty liver disease in obese (ob/ob) mice (Lin et al.).
• Inhibits secretion of the adipocyte hormone leptin in mouse brown adipocytes (Klein et al.).

CANCER RESEARCH

• Inhibits tumor cell growth in various cancer cell lines and in mouse xenograft models (Dowling et al.; Zakikhani et al.; Isakovic et al.).
• Inhibits the inflammatory response associated with cancer stem cell growth (Hirsch et al.).