Small molecule
PubChem CID 4091
Metformin
Glucophage
- Mechanism of action
- AMPK activator, reduces hepatic glucose output
- In plain language
- Lowers blood sugar mainly by telling the liver to release less glucose, while also reducing how much sugar the gut absorbs and helping the body use insulin more effectively to clear sugar from the blood.
- How it works
- Metformin (Glucophage) is a biguanide antihyperglycemic agent that lowers both basal and postprandial plasma glucose in people with type 2 diabetes. Its principal action, per the FDA label, is decreasing hepatic glucose production, and it further improves glycemic control by reducing intestinal glucose absorption and increasing peripheral insulin sensitivity, which enhances glucose uptake and utilization in tissues such as skeletal muscle. Unlike sulfonylureas, it does not stimulate pancreatic insulin secretion, so it lowers blood glucose without commonly causing hypoglycemia. The label does not name a single molecular target for these effects; AMPK activation is one mechanism proposed in the research literature, but it is not part of the drug's official Clinical Pharmacology description.
- Therapeutic applications
- Metformin hydrochloride is FDA-indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients 10 years of age and older with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is used as monotherapy or in combination with other antidiabetic agents (e.g., sulfonylureas, DPP-4 inhibitors, insulin) and is available in immediate-release and extended-release oral formulations. It is not indicated for type 1 diabetes mellitus.
- Class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- Metabolic / Diabetes
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