Metformin, a drug that has been discovered over 100 years ago and has been in the clinic for over 50 years, has been used as a hypoglycemic drug in the past. Recent animal studies have found that metformin, an ancient drug, can slow the growth of Cryptorchidium histolytica and extend the life span of rats, while at the same time their bones are much stronger. More interestingly, British researchers found that although theoretically, the life expectancy of diabetics should be reduced by 8 years; however, in fact, diabetics who take metformin live longer than non-diabetics. So now the medical community is looking at metformin, an ancient drug that not only lowers sugar, but it also has miraculous effects on cancer, weight loss and smoking cessation. The latest findings show that a team led by Professor Scott Budinger of Northwestern University has demonstrated in mice that metformin can prevent haze-induced inflammation, prevent immune cells from releasing a dangerous molecule into the bloodstream, and inhibit the formation of arterial blood clots, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Metformin, a very familiar glucose-lowering drug, can actually fight haze. Metformin is a class of “authoritative” drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and is listed as a first-line hypoglycemic drug in many treatment guidelines at home and abroad. The drug has the advantages of exact hypoglycemic effect, low risk of hypoglycemia, low price, etc., is currently one of the most widely used class A hypoglycemic drugs. Although the results of scientific experiments are quite good, but after all, they are animal experiments on mice, and it is not known what effect the specific to humans will have. It must be said that in recent years, as research continues to deepen, metformin has many surprising findings in addition to its glucose-lowering effects. Metformin part of the new research findings: 1, anti-aging effect: At present, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is approved “with metformin against aging” clinical trials, foreign scientists the reason why metformin as an anti-aging drug candidates, probably because metformin can increase the number of oxygen molecules released into the cells, from the reasoning This seems to increase the fitness of the body and prolong life span. 2. Weight loss: Metformin is a hypoglycemic drug that can reduce weight. It increases insulin sensitivity and reduces fat synthesis. And for many type 2 glucose users, the reduction of weight itself is a thing that is conducive to stable blood sugar control. A study by the U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) study group showed that patients treated with metformin lost an average of 3.1 kg over a 7-year-8 year period in a non-blinded study. 3. Cardiovascular protection: Metformin is cardioprotective and is the only glucose-lowering drug currently recommended by diabetes guidelines as having clear evidence of cardiovascular benefit. Studies have shown that long-term treatment with metformin is significantly associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients and in type 2 diabetic patients who have already developed cardiovascular disease. 4.Improve polycystic ovary syndrome Polycystic ovary syndrome is a heterogeneous disease characterized by hyperandrogenemia, ovarian dysfunction, and polycystic ovarian morphology. Its pathogenesis is unclear, and patients often have varying degrees of hyperinsulinemia. Studies have shown that metformin can improve hyperandrogenemia by reducing insulin resistance and restoring its ovulatory function. 5. Anti-cancer, tumor-inhibiting effects: Near the end of 2018, the team published a study in CellReports that revealed how this drug cocktail works: the combination of metformin and the antihypertensive drug xylozepine (syrosingopine) can cut off the energy supply of cancer cells, ultimately leading to their death. In recent years, several epidemiological studies have shown that metformin also has a preventive and even curative effect on tumors. Lung cancer is a serious threat to human health, with a high incidence, high mortality rate and very poor prognosis, with 86% of patients dying within 5 years of diagnosis. More and more studies suggest that metformin can prevent lung cancer and improve the prognosis of lung cancer patients. 6.Improve intestinal flora: Some studies have shown that metformin can restore the ratio of intestinal flora and shift it in the direction of favoring health. It provides an advantageous living environment for beneficial intestinal bacteria, thus playing the role of lowering blood sugar and positively regulating the immune system. 7, promising treatment for some autism: Recently, researchers at McGill University found that metformin can treat Fragile X syndrome in some forms of autism, and the innovative study was published in the journal NatureMedicine, a sub-publication of Nature. Currently, autism is one of the many medical conditions that scientists believe can be treated with metformin. 8, reversing pulmonary fibrosis Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that in human patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and in a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis triggered by bleomycin, AMPK activity in fibrotic tissue was reduced and there was an increase in myofibroblasts in the tissue that resisted apoptosis. Activation of AMPK in myofibroblasts with metformin re-sensitized these cells to apoptosis. Furthermore, in a mouse model metformin accelerated the ablation of fibrotic tissue that had already been generated. This study suggests that metformin or other AMPK agonists can be used to reverse fibrosis that has already developed. 9, to assist in quitting smoking Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that long-term nicotine use leads to activation of the AMPK signaling pathway, which is inhibited during nicotine withdrawal. They therefore hypothesized that if the AMPK signaling pathway is activated with drugs it may ease the withdrawal response. Metformin is an AMPK agonist. When the researchers administered metformin to mice that developed a nicotine withdrawal response, they found that it relieved the withdrawal response in the mice. Their study suggests that metformin can be used to assist in smoking cessation. 10. Anti-inflammatory effects Previously, preclinical and clinical studies have shown that metformin not only improves chronic inflammation by improving metabolic parameters such as hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and atherogenic dyslipidemia, but also has a direct anti-inflammatory effect. Studies have shown that metformin inhibits the inflammatory response, primarily through inhibition of nuclear transcription factor B (NFB) in an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-dependent or non-dependent manner. 11. Reversal of cognitive impairment Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas established a mouse model that simulates pain-related cognitive impairment. They used this model to test the efficacy of multiple drugs. The results showed that treatment of mice with 200 mg/kg body weight of metformin for 7 days completely reversed cognitive impairment due to pain. This was not the case with gabapentin, which treats neuropathic pain and epilepsy. This implies that metformin can be an old drug used in a new way to treat cognitive impairment in patients with neuropathic pain.