ESPE Abstracts

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate protective potential of metformin on membrane linked functions and glucose transporter in diabetic aging female rats.

Background: The emerging view is that diabetic brain features many symptoms that are best described as accelerated brain aging.

Methods: Young (3 months) adult (12 months) and aged (24 months) rats will be diabetic by using alloxan monohydrate. After metformin was given i.p dose 200 mg/Kg for one months to both control and diabetic aging rats. Learning was tested in a Morris water maze.

Results: Present study shows that there was a similar pattern of increased lipid peroxidation, neurolipofuscin, DNA degradation and monoamine oxidase activity and a decrease in membrane fluidity, Na+K+ ATPse, Ca2+ ATPase, sueroxidase dismutase and glutathione S-transferases activities, glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4) in both aging and diabetes. Metformin was found to be an effective treatment in stabilizing and normalizing the membrane functions; therefore this therapy can be considered an alternative to be explored further as a means of diabetic and aged related disorders control. Metformin treatment also helped to reverse the age related changes studied, to normal levels, elucidating an anti-aging, antidiabetic and neuroprotective action.

Conclusions: The cumulative deficits in learning and membrane functions in aged diabetic rats indicate that the effects of diabetes and ageing on the brain could interact. The results of this study will be useful for pharmacological modification of the aging process and applying new strategies for control of age related disorders including metabolic syndrome.