title: Metformin in obesity, cancer and aging: addressing controversies.
abstract: Metformin, an oral anti-diabetic drug, is being considered increasingly for treatment and prevention of cancer, obesity as well as for the extension of healthy lifespan. Gradually accumulating discrepancies about its effect on cancer and obesity can be explained by the shortage of randomized clinical trials, differences between control groups (reference points), gender- and age-associated effects and pharmacogenetic factors. Studies of the potential antiaging effects of antidiabetic biguanides, such as metformin, are still experimental for obvious reasons and their results are currently ambiguous. Here we discuss whether the discrepancies in different studies are merely methodological or inherently related to individual differences in responsiveness to the drug.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Oncoendocrinology, N.N.Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, St. Petersburg, Russia. levmb@endocrin.spb.ru
authors.forename: Lev M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Berstein
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008687:Metformin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008687:Metformin