ArticleNeural regeneration research2021
Low-dose metformin treatment in the subacute phase improves the locomotor function of a mouse model of spinal cord injury.
Article in Neural regeneration research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- Metformin's therapeutic potential in spinal cord injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis on locomotor recovery, neuropathic pain alleviation, and modulation of secondary injury mechanisms.Acta neurochirurgica · 2025Pooled it
- Targeting microglial PANoptosis through AMPK activation: Metformin as a promising therapy for spinal cord injury.Journal of pharmaceutical analysis · 2026Article
- Temporal changes of spinal microglia in murine models of neuropathic pain: a scoping review.Frontiers in immunology · 2024Article
- Metformin Prevents Cocaine Sensitization: Involvement of Adenosine Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase Trafficking between Subcellular Compartments in the Corticostriatal Reward Circuit.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
- Metformin promotes angiogenesis and functional recovery in aged mice after spinal cord injury by adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/endothelial nitric oxide synthase pathway.Neural regeneration research · 2023Article
- Metformin Improves Functional Outcomes, Activates Neural Precursor Cells, and Modulates Microglia in a Sex-Dependent Manner After Spinal Cord Injury.Stem cells translational medicine · 2023Article
- Network pharmacology integrated with experimental validation to explore the therapeutic role and potential mechanism of Epimedium for spinal cord injury.Frontiers in molecular neuroscience · 2023Article
- 3,4-Dimethoxychalcone, a caloric restriction mimetic, enhances TFEB-mediated autophagy and alleviates pyroptosis and necroptosis after spinal cord injury.Theranostics · 2023Article
- Recent Advances in the Role of Nuclear Factor Erythroid-2-Related Factor 2 in Spinal Cord Injury: Regulatory Mechanisms and Therapeutic Options.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Metformin, a first-line drug for type-2 diabetes, has been shown to improve locomotor recovery after spinal cord injury. However, there are studies reporting no beneficial effect. Recently, we found that high dose of metformin (200 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) and acute phase administration (immediately after injury) led to increased mortality and limited locomotor function recovery. Consequently, we used a lower dose (100 mg/kg, i.p.) metformin in mice, and compared the effect of immediate administration after spinal cord injury (acute phase) with that of administration at 3 days post-injury (subacute phase). Our data showed that metformin treatment starting at the subacute phase significantly improved mouse locomotor function evaluated by Basso Mouse Scale (BMS) scoring. Immunohistochemical studies also revealed significant inhibitions of microglia/macrophage activation and astrogliosis at the lesion site. Furthermore, metformin treatment at the subacute phase reduced neutrophil infiltration. These changes were in parallel with the increased survival rate of spinal neurons in animals treated with metformin. These findings suggest that low-dose metformin treatment for subacute spinal cord injury can effectively improve the functional recovery possibly through anti-inflammation and neuroprotection. This study was approved by the Institute Animal Care and Use Committee at the University of Texas Medical Branch (approval No. 1008041C) in 2010.
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