Evidence mapPaperPMID 39796218Full record

ReviewInternational journal of molecular sciences2025

Mitochondria and the Repurposing of Diabetes Drugs for Off-Label Health Benefits.

Joyce Mei Xin Yip, Grace Shu Hui Chiang, Ian Chong Jin Lee, Rachel Lehming-Teo, Kexin Dai, Lokeysh Dongol, Laureen Yi-Ting Wang, Denise Teo, Geok Teng Seah, Norbert Lehming

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of molecular sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
14citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Joyce Mei Xin YipDepartment of Microbiology & Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore.ORCID 0009-0000-7221-8007
Grace Shu Hui ChiangWell Programme, Alexandra Hospital, National University Health System, Singapore 159964, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-8012-9709
Ian Chong Jin LeeNUS High School of Mathematics and Science, Singapore 129957, Singapore.
Rachel Lehming-TeoDepartment of Microbiology & Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore.
Kexin DaiDepartment of Microbiology & Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore.ORCID 0009-0000-9750-5459
Lokeysh DongolDepartment of Microbiology & Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore.
Laureen Yi-Ting WangWell Programme, Alexandra Hospital, National University Health System, Singapore 159964, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-4795-9919
Denise TeoChi Longevity, Camden Medical Centre #10-04, 1 Orchard Blvd, Singapore 248649, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-5894-7382
Geok Teng SeahClifford Dispensary, 77 Robinson Rd #06-02, Singapore 068896, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-5115-0434
Norbert LehmingDepartment of Microbiology & Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-8314-5680

Funding

Ministry of Education A-8000724-00-00
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This review describes our current understanding of the role of the mitochondria in the repurposing of the anti-diabetes drugs metformin, gliclazide, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and SGLT2 inhibitors for additional clinical benefits regarding unhealthy aging, long COVID, mental neurogenerative disorders, and obesity. Metformin, the most prominent of these diabetes drugs, has been called the "Drug of Miracles and Wonders," as clinical trials have found it to be beneficial for human patients suffering from these maladies. To promote viral replication in all infected human cells, SARS-CoV-2 stimulates the infected liver cells to produce glucose and to export it into the blood stream, which can cause diabetes in long COVID patients, and metformin, which reduces the levels of glucose in the blood, was shown to cut the incidence rate of long COVID in half for all patients recovering from SARS-CoV-2. Metformin leads to the phosphorylation of the AMP-activated protein kinase AMPK, which accelerates the import of glucose into cells via the glucose transporter GLUT4 and switches the cells to the starvation mode, counteracting the virus. Diabetes drugs also stimulate the unfolded protein response and thus mitophagy, which is beneficial for healthy aging and mental health. Diabetes drugs were also found to mimic exercise and help to reduce body weight.

Indexed as

COVID-19 Drug TreatmentDiabetes MellitusDrug RepositioningHypoglycemic AgentsMitochondriaCOVID-19HumansMetforminOff-Label UseSARS-CoV-2Hypoglycemic AgentsMetformingliclazideGLP-1 receptor agonistslong COVIDmental neurogenerative disordersmetforminobesitySGLT2 inhibitorsunhealthy aging

Identifiers

PMID39796218
PMCPMC11719901

What Socratic holds

Texttitle and abstract
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.