Abstract
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by a new strain of coronavirus called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared a pandemic by WHO on March 11, 2020. Soon after its emergence in late December 2019, it was noticed that diabetic individuals were at an increased risk of COVID-19–associated complications, ICU admissions, and mortality. Maintaining proper blood glucose levels using insulin and/or other oral antidiabetic drugs (such as Metformin) reduced the detrimental effects of COVID-19. Interestingly, in diabetic COVID-19 patients, while insulin administration was associated with adverse outcomes, Metformin treatment was correlated with a significant reduction in disease severity and mortality rates among affected individuals. Metformin was extensively studied for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antiviral capabilities that would explain its ability to confer cardiopulmonary and vascular protection in COVID-19. Here, we describe the various possible molecular mechanisms that contribute to Metformin therapy’s beneficial effects and lay out the scientific basis of repurposing Metformin for use in COVID-19 patients.
Highlights
In late December 2019, the first case of a novel coronavirus that caused severe acute respiratory distress emerged from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China [1]
We provide an in-depth review of the various antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, cardio- and vasculoprotective effects of Metformin and possible molecular mechanisms by which COVID-19 patients benefit from Metformin intervention
Several retrospective and meta-analysis studies reported a significant reduction in COVID-19-related mortality among high-risk patients with diabetes who were on a Metformin treatment to manage their blood glucose levels [55,56,57,58]
Summary
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