Evidence mapPaperPMID 40465202Full record

ReviewAdvances in therapy2025

Metformin: Old Drug, New Therapeutic Potential in the Skin? A Brief Narrative Review.

Dimitrios Pantazopoulos, Stella Papachristou, Evanthia Gouveri, Massimo Papi, Dimitrios Papazoglou, Nikolaos Papanas

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Advances in therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
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

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. [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 · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
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

6 authors.

Dimitrios PantazopoulosDiabetes Centre-Diabetic Foot Clinic, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, 68100, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Stella PapachristouDiabetes Centre-Diabetic Foot Clinic, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, 68100, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Evanthia GouveriDiabetes Centre-Diabetic Foot Clinic, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, 68100, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Massimo PapiNational Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty (NIHMP), ADOI National Study Group Vulnology and Vascular Dermatology, Rome, Italy.
Dimitrios PapazoglouDiabetes Centre-Diabetic Foot Clinic, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, 68100, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Nikolaos PapanasDiabetes Centre-Diabetic Foot Clinic, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, 68100, Alexandroupolis, Greece. papanasnikos@yahoo.gr.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7320-785X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Metformin, a well-established, first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus, is still gaining interest for its potential applications beyond glycaemic control. In addition to its insulin-sensitising effects, metformin exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-proliferative, and immunomodulatory properties, rendering it a promising candidate for various dermatological conditions. Emerging evidence suggests that metformin may play a beneficial role in inflammatory skin diseases, such as acne, hidradenitis suppurativa, acanthosis nigricans, rosacea and psoriasis. Furthermore, recent studies highlight its potential in promoting wound healing and modulating skin ageing. This narrative review summarises current knowledge of the mechanisms of action of metformin in dermatology and explores its potential as a novel therapeutic approach for skin disorders.

Indexed as

Hypoglycemic AgentsMetforminSkin DiseasesAcne VulgarisDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2HumansPsoriasisSkin AgingWound HealingHypoglycemic AgentsMetforminInflammatory skin diseasesMetforminSkinT2DMWound healing

Identifiers

PMID40465202
PMCPMC12313762

What Socratic holds

Texttitle and abstract
LicenceCC BY-NC
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.