What It Is
Metformin belongs to a class of medicines called biguanides, and is one of the most widely used oral medicines for managing blood sugar levels.
What It's Used For
Metformin is generally used to help manage blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes, a condition in which the body doesn't use insulin effectively or doesn't produce enough of it to keep blood sugar within a normal range.
How It Works
Metformin works through several complementary mechanisms. It reduces the amount of glucose released by the liver into the bloodstream, a process that's often overactive in type 2 diabetes. It also improves how sensitive the body's tissues, particularly muscle tissue, are to insulin, allowing them to take up glucose from the blood more effectively. Additionally, it's thought to modestly reduce the absorption of glucose from the digestive tract.
History and Regulatory Status
Metformin's origins trace back to a compound found in a plant historically used in traditional medicine, from which related synthetic compounds were later developed. It was first introduced for clinical use in France in the late 1950s, though it took considerably longer to become available in some other countries, including the United States, where it wasn't approved until the mid-1990s. Since then, it has become one of the most widely prescribed medicines globally for type 2 diabetes and is included on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines, generally available as a prescription medicine.