Inhibitory effect of metformin on intestinal glucose absorption in the perfused rat intestine

Abstract

To investigate the effect of metformin on intestinal glucose absorption, a perfusion study of the intestine was performed in the rat. Male Wistar albino rats (8 weeks old) were used in the present study. The glucose absorption by the perfused intestine (788.1 ± 81.9 μmol/30 min) was not changed significantly by the direct addition of metformin (90 μg/mL) to the perfusing medium (737.0 ± 118.2 μmol/30 min) or by intraduodenal metformin (250 mg/kg in saline solution) infusion (772.8 ± 106.3 μmol/30 min). In rats orally administered metformin (250 mg/kg) for 5 days, glucose absorption by the perfused intestine (375.0 ± 164.3 μmol/30 min) was significantly ( P < 0.001) lower than that in control rats (811.0 ± 83.1 μmol/30 min). These results indicate that metformin had a significant effect on the digestive tract, and that metformin treatment exerted an inhibitory effect on intestinal glucose absorption in the rat.