Biguanides Enhance Glucose Utilization and Insulin Action in Peripheral Tissues: An Old Finding from the Sixties of the Last Century

In their interesting studies, Magalhães et al. found an increase of blood flow and forearm glucose uptake by metformin [1]. The authors state that “this new effect probably contributes or could be the consequence of the improvement in vascular function” and conclude that this biguanide “acts in insulin resistance by increasing glucose peripheral uptake”.

The findings of Magalhães et al. [1] confirm and extend the very old results of W. J. H. Butterfield [2] [3] from the sixties of the last century, who measured increased muscular glucose utilization in the forearm of diabetes patients and obese people after 1 week of phenformin administration. Along with increased glucose utilization, the muscular threshold for glucose was decreased which was explained by a “sensitizing” effect of the biguanide.

Sometimes it might be also interesting to read very old, however, still relevant literature.

References

• 1 Magalhães FO, Gouveia LMB, Torquato MTCG, Paccola GMGF, Piccinato CE, Foss MC. Metformin increases blood flow and forearm glucose uptake in a group of non-obese type 2 diabetes patients.  Horm Metabol Res. 2006;  38 513-517
• 2 Butterfield WJH, Whichelow MJ. The hypoglycaemic action of phenformin. Effect of phenformin on glucose metabolism in peripheral tissues.  Diabetes. 1962;  11 281
• 3 Butterfield WJH. The effects of phenformin on peripheral glucose utilization and insulin action in obesity and diabetes mellitus.  Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1968;  148 724

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