Diabetes drug metformin has anti-ageing effects and can extend the life of male mice, according to researchers at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) in Baltimore, US.
Metaformin is a popular type-2 diabetes drug that can also treat metabolic syndrome, a combination of diabetes, high blood-pressure and obesity.
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Scientists believe the drug mimics the effects of extreme calorie restriction, which has been shown to prolong lifespan and promote healthy ageing.
Scientists at the university are looking for a drug or treatment than can mimic these effects.
NIA director Richard J Hodes said: "There is increasing interest in exploring how drugs for one use might be repurposed for another..
"It is exciting to discover that a drug already known to be safe and effective in humans might be further studied for a possible, alternate use for healthy ageing."
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By GlobalDataMetformin is known to enhance insulin sensitivity, prompt sugar to be converted to energy, and prevent sugar build-up in the liver.
During the study the scientists gave one of two different doses of metformin to middle aged male mice. They discovered that lower does of the drug increased lifespan by about 5% and delayed the onset of age associated diseases.
However, the higher dose they administered had the opposite effect, it was toxic and reduced the life span of the mice.
Previous studies of metformin have shown it can extend the lifespan of simple organisms such as worms, but studies in flies and mammals have given conflicting evidence.
"Ageing is a driving force behind metabolic syndrome and diabetes," said de Cabo. "Given that metformin is clinically proven to alleviate symptoms of these conditions, and reduce risk of cancer, we thought perhaps it was a good candidate to study for its broader effects on health and lifespan.".
Further studies are needed to find out if metformin will have any similar effects on human health.
Image: Further studies are needed to find out if metformin will have any similar effects on human health. Photo: courtesy of George Shuklin (talk).
