Metformin: A Growing Journey from Glycemic Control to the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease and Depression.

Metformin: A Growing Journey from Glycemic Control to the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease and Depression. Curr Med Chem. 2020 Sep 08;: Authors: El Massry M, Alaeddine LM, Ali L, Saad C, Eid AA Abstract Metabolic stress, transduced as an altered cellular redox and energy status, presents as the main culprit in many diseases including diabetes. However, its role in the pathology of neurological disorders is still not fully elucidated. Metformin, a biguanide compound, is an FDA approved antidiabetic drug generally used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The recently described wide spectrum of action executed by this drug suggests a potential therapeutic benefit in a panoply of disorders. Current studies imply that metformin could play a neuroprotective role by reversing hallmarks of brain injury (metabolic dysfunction, neuronal dystrophy and cellular loss), in addition to cognitive and behavioral alterations that accompany the onset of certain brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and depression. However, the mechanisms by which metformin exerts its protective effect in neurodegenerative disorders is not yet fully elucidated. The aim of this review is to reexamine the mechanisms through which metformin performs its function while concentrating on its effect on reestablishing homeostasis in a metabolically disturbed milieu. We will also highlight the importance of metabolic stress, not only as a component of many neurologic...
Source: Current Medicinal Chemistry - Category: Chemistry Authors: Tags: Curr Med Chem Source Type: research