ArticleThe Journal of investigative dermatology2014
Inhibition of melanogenesis by the antidiabetic metformin.
Article in The Journal of investigative dermatology, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03475524 (THE METFORMIN AND TRICHLOROACETIC ACID IN TREATMENT OF MELASMA), which is not on this map. Cited by 31 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
The metformin and trichloroacetic acid in treatment of melasma
Who cites it
31 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 78 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy and safety of metformin for melasma treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2023Pooled it
- Microneedling-assisted delivery of metformin versus tranexamic acid in treating melasma: a randomized controlled study.European journal of medical research · 2025Trial
- Combined micro-needling with topical metformin versus micro-needling with topical placebo in the treatment of melasma: a concurrent split-face study.Archives of dermatological research · 2024Trial
- Melasma: When Dermal Photoageing Precedes Melanocyte Ageing.Experimental dermatology · 2026Review
- Decoding Hyperpigmentation from Biological Mechanisms to Actives with Clinically Proven Topical Efficacy: A Narrative Review.Dermatology and therapy · 2026Review
- [Q-switched Nd:YAG 1064 nm laser combined with topical metformin lotion for treatment of chloasma in mice].Nan fang yi ke da xue xue bao = Journal of Southern Medical University · 2026Article
- Metformin inhibits melanin synthesis and melanosome transfer through the cAMP pathway.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Cardaria draba subspecies Shalepensis exerts in vitro and in silico inhibition of α-glucosidase, TRP1, and DLD-1 proliferation.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Melasma Management: A Comprehensive Review of Treatment Strategies Including BTX-A.Journal of cosmetic dermatology · 2025Review
- Comparative in vitro and in silico evaluation of the toxic effects of metformin and/or ascorbic acid, new treatment options in the treatment of Melasma.Toxicology research · 2025Article
- Metformin and its Nanoformulations in Cancer Prevention and Therapy.Current pharmaceutical design · 2025Review
- A Systematic Review on Clinical Evidence for Topical Metformin: Old Medication With New Application.Health science reports · 2024Review
- Evaluation the efficacy of microneedling with topical metformin solution compared with microneedling with topical vitamin C solution in treatment of melasma.Archives of dermatological research · 2024Article
- Tripeptides conjugated with thiosemicarbazones: new inhibitors of tyrosinase for cosmeceutical use.Journal of enzyme inhibition and medicinal chemistry · 2023Article
- Modulation of autophagy, apoptosis and oxidative stress: a clue for repurposing metformin in photoaging.Inflammopharmacology · 2022Article
- SMILE Downregulation during Melanogenesis Induces MITF Transcription in B16F10 Cells.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
- Understanding Melasma-How Can Pharmacology and Cosmetology Procedures and Prevention Help to Achieve Optimal Treatment Results? A Narrative Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Review
- Update on Melasma-Part II: Treatment.Dermatology and therapy · 2022Review
- Sargahydroquinoic Acid Suppresses Hyperpigmentation by cAMP and ERK1/2-Mediated Downregulation of MITF in α-MSH-Stimulated B16F10 Cells.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Discovery of a new molecule inducing melanoma cell death: dual AMPK/MELK targeting for novel melanoma therapies.Cell death & disease · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Several reports have demonstrated the inhibitory effect of metformin, a widely used drug in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, on the proliferation of many cancers including melanoma. Recently, it has been shown that metformin is able to modulate the cAMP level in the liver. As cAMP has a crucial role in melanin synthesis and skin pigmentation, we investigated the effect of metformin on melanogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. We showed that metformin led to reduced melanin content in melanoma cells and in normal human melanocytes by decreasing cAMP accumulation and cAMP-responsive element-binding protein phosphorylation. This inhibitory effect is correlated with decreased expression of master genes of melanogenesis, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, tyrosinase, dopachrome tautomerase, and tyrosinase-related protein 1. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the antimelanogenic effect of metformin is independent of the AMPK pathway. Interestingly, topical application of metformin induced tail whitening in mice. Finally, we confirmed the antimelanogenic effect of metformin on reconstituted human epidermis and on human skin biopsies. These data emphasize the depigmenting effect of metformin and suggest a clinical strategy for using metformin in the topical treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.