Rockford researcher explores the use of antidiabetic drug metformin for preventing and treating ischemic stroke
Rockford researcher explores the use of antidiabetic drug metformin for preventing and treating ischemic stroke Heading link
Thura Tun Oo, MD, PhD, a postdoctoral research associate in the UICOMR Department of Biomedical Sciences, concludes in a review article in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism that the popular antidiabetic drug metformin could be beneficial for both preventing and treating ischemic stroke.
Ischemic stroke, primarily caused by a clot blocking blood flow to the brain, is the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of disability, according to the Global Burden of Disease updated report. Nevertheless, treatment is still largely limited to one drug, tissue plasminogen activator, and surgical removal of the clot that causes the stroke, both of which are more successful if quickly administered.
In Repurposing metformin: A potential off-label indication for ischaemic stroke?, Dr. Oo reviewed both preclinical and clinical published research that highlighted metformin’s potential in ischemic stroke, as well as studies that questioned its effectiveness.
“Clinical studies reveal a possible beneficial effect due to metformin multifaceted effects on cellular processes,” says Dr. Oo. “Preclinical research also shows that, regardless of reperfusion state, prophylactic metformin could be time-dependently effective in treating ischemic stroke when given at the human recommended dosage.”
Importantly, these effects need to be studied further in non-diabetic cases to better understand how metformin could prevent or treat the debilitating effects of ischemic stroke, which can include paralysis, trouble speaking, vision loss, difficulty swallowing, behavior changes and other effects depending on the part of the brain that is affected.