Metformin, not only an extensively used oral hypoglycemic agent, but also a proven antimalarial and antiviral. I request that someone analyze the two groups treated for COVID-19, comparing those already on metformin, versus not. Thank you.
Several articles on the theoretical and laboratory effects of metformin on viruses and COVID-19.
https://www.researchgate.net/project/COVID-19-DISEASE
Article 2020 INDIAN OUTBREAK: THE PANDEMIC CORONA VIRUS DISEASE (COV...
Hi Gari,
Consider that risk factors for severe Covid 19 somehow converge to hypofibrinolysis. Let me explain: the most important inhibitor of plasminogen activators (tPA and urokinase) is known as PAI-1. PAI-1 promoter gene responds to glucose, insulin, VLDL-triglycerides, angiotensin, leptin, TNF-alpha and interleukin-6. Both tPA and urokinase have proteolytic properties that mediate organ and tissue remodeling. While tPA favors aoveloi repair and prevents pulmonary fibrosis, urokinase prevents kidney fibrosis. I guess metformin may help not only because of its antiviral properties, but also because it reduces glucose, triglyceride and insulin levels, which contributes to decrease PAI-1 levels and restore extracellular proteolysis.
Article The mechanisms of action of metformin
https://www.vulcanchem.com/product/reference-standards/657-24-9
I still have yet to see a study comparing those on metformin versus those not on metformin; who contracted COVID-19 and a comparison of morbidity and mortality. Although the study would not be well randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled, or matched, if the metformin group did a lot better than the non-metformin group, this could indicate that metformin was potentially prophylactic. When, in fact, the metformin group should theoretically perform worse, because they would all have diabetes mellitus pre-morbidly, thus one of the risk factors for a worse outcome from COVID-19.
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