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Review

The Impact of Metformin on Neurological and Metabolic Function through Gut Microbiota

1, 1, 1★★ Corresponding author

  1. 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, INDIA.

CORRESPONDENCE

Priyadharshini Ananthathandavan

Department of Pharmacy Practice, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, INDIA.

priyathandavan93@gmail.com

Received: 15-10-2024; Revised: 08-01-2025; Accepted: 31-03-2025.

Volume 17, Issue 2 · pp. 292-298 · 2025 · DOI: 10.5530/jyp.20251539

ABSTRACT

Metformin is an oral hypoglycemic agent and it is the primary medication for managing hyperglycemia. The relationship between metformin, gut microbiota and their combined effects on metabolic health and cognitive function remains inadequately explored, particularly concerning the modulation of gut microbes by metformin. Metformin recognized for its role in diabetes management, emerging evidence highlights its influence on gut microbiota and suggesting that its therapeutic effects extend beyond the gastrointestinal tract. The review delves into metformin’s capacity to modulate epigenetic pathways, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, thereby regulating gene expression related to inflammation and metabolism and modification of Key beneficial microbes, such as Akkermansia muciniphilaand various Lactobacillus species, promoting systemic health through the production of SCFAs and modulation of gut-brain axis signaling. The role of gut microbiota in influencing neuroinflammation, cognitive function and metabolic health is well-explored in this review, revealing metformin’s potential to enhance cognitive performance, protect against neurodegenerative disorders and reduce neuroinflammation. This review provides critical insights into the mechanistic underpinnings of metformin’s actions, paving the way for future research on its broader applications in metabolic and cognitive health.

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    Musharaf, S., Fayaz, M., & Ananthathandavan, P. (2025). The Impact of Metformin on Neurological and Metabolic Function through Gut Microbiota. Journal of Young Pharmacists, 17(2), 292-298. https://doi.org/10.5530/jyp.20251539

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    © 2025 Author(s)

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0