Oliveira AG
Brazil
Research Article
Metformin Improves Carbohydrate Metabolism and Minimizes Walker Tumor Growth in Young Rats
Author(s): Oliveira AG and Gomes-Marcondes MCCOliveira AG and Gomes-Marcondes MCC
Cancer cachexia occurs in more than 50% of cancer patients and is characterized by body weight loss, particularly lean body mass. Metformin is a drug that is widely prescribed to type 2 diabetes patients, in whom studies have shown a lowered cancer risk. This study was conducted to analyze the effects of Walker 256 tumor cells on muscle glucose uptake and glycogen storage, as well as to examine the modulatory effect of metformin treatment on tumor growth and energy store in tumor-bearing rats. Wistar rats were distributed into 4 groups: control (C), metformin (M), tumor-bearing (W) and tumor-bearing treated with metformin (WM). Metformin was orally administered (33 mg/kg/day by gavage), and all animals were sacrificed when the relative tumor mass reached 10%. Metformin reduced muscle spoliation in the WM group, while the .. View More»
