Title:Anti-diabetic Drug Metformin: Challenges and Perspectives for Cancer Therapy
VOLUME: 14 ISSUE: 8
Author(s):Kaniyampadi S. Snima, Prathesha Pillai, Aleena M. Cherian, Shantikumar V. Nair and Vinoth-Kumar Lakshmanan
Affiliation:Amrita Centre for Nanosciences and Molecular Medicine, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India.
Keywords:Breast cancer, endometrial cancer, metformin, nanotechnology, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer,
pathways.
Abstract:Metformin, a biguanide, is a commonly administered drug for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The
drug received tremendous recognition, when retrospective studies proved metformin-associated reduction in cancer risk.
Metformin has potential anticancer effects and an ability to suppress tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo. Activation of
LKB1/AMPK pathway and cancer stem cell destruction along with cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction are the
proposed mechanisms of anticancer potential of metformin. Nanotechnology approaches have also been adopted for
metformin delivery to cancer cells. This review directs on the application of metformin for the therapy of various cancers
and also the different pathways responsible for the metformin derived anticancer effect. It also focuses on the
pharmacological applications of metformin and the nanotechnology approaches for metformin delivery.
