Symposium 19: Insulinosensitizers: metformin and TZD

Abstract

Symposium 19: Drug Treatment: What's New? Insulinosensitizers: metformin and TZD Metformin represents a striking example of “historical nemesis” of a drug. Currently, despite the arrival of new innovative drugs, metformin still stands as a first choice drug for T2D. Several effects are attributed to metformin, apart from hypoglycemic action, weight loss, cardiovascular and kidney protection, beneficial actions over different types of cancer, decrease of liver diseases, actions to reduce aging effects, etc. Metformin is a multifaceted drug, with multiple action and molecular mechanisms. It inhibits the mitochondrial complex I, which leads to AMPK activation. It also reduces glucose levels through GLUT-4 increase. It is one of the few oral agents that prevents weight increase or even favors weight loss in patients with T2D, because of the gut flora modification and the modulation of the hypothalamic appetite regulation. It also stimulates thermogenesis.

Keywords

• metformina
• tiazolidinedionas.