The effect of metformin on measurements of insulin sensitivity and beta cell response in 18 horses and ponies with insulin resistance.
Abstract: Laminitis in equids is a very common debilitating disease, and insulin resistance (IR) and hyperinsulinaemia are increasingly recognised as important predisposing factors. Pharmacological modification of IR and hyperinsulinaemia might reduce the risk of laminitis. Objective: Metformin, a drug commonly prescribed for treatment of human IR, may also decrease IR in equids. Methods: Eighteen horses and ponies with IR and recurrent laminitis were treated with 15 mg/kg bwt metformin per os q. 12 h. Each animal served as its own control by comparing pre- and post treatment proxies for IR, insulin sensitivity (IS) and pancreatic beta cell function while controlling for possible dietary and managemental influences on IR. Results: Evidence of significantly improved IS and decreased pancreatic beta cell secretion was found following metformin treatment. The magnitude of effect was greater at earlier resampling (6-14 days) than at later times (23-220 days). Apparent subjective clinical benefits were good but less favourable than effects on IR. Conclusions: Metformin is safe and appears to increase IS in equids. Conclusions: Metformin may be indicated as a treatment for IR in equids. Further studies are required to define appropriate selection of subjects warranting therapy, dosing schedule and pharmacokinetics.
Publication Date: 2008-05-17 PubMed ID: 18482898DOI: 10.2746/042516408X273648Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research investigates the effect of the drug Metformin in treating insulin resistance in horses and ponies, a condition that often aggravates laminitis, a common disease in these animals. The study found that Metformin appears to improve insulin sensitivity and reduces pancreatic beta cell secretion, potentially making it a promising treatment option.
Objective and Methods
- The study aimed to understand whether Metformin, a human drug for insulin resistance, could effectively decrease insulin resistance in horses and ponies. This is might be important because insulin resistance is seen as a major contributing factor to laminitis, a widespread disease among these animals.
- In the research, 18 horses and ponies with insulin resistance and recurrent laminitis were treated with a dosage of Metformin. The researchers utilized a self-control method by comparing results of insulin sensitivity and pancreatic beta cell function before and after treatment while managing potential influences from dietary and care aspects.
Results
- The result yielded a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity and a reduction in pancreatic beta cell secretion after treating the animals with Metformin.
- The data also showed better results attained at the earlier stages (6-14 days) of Metformin administration than at later times (23-220 days).
- Despite the noted benefits on insulin resistance, the apparent subjective clinical benefits were good but appeared less favorable.
Conclusions
- The research concluded that Metformin was safe for the horses and ponies and appears to increase insulin sensitivity.
- The study puts forward the use of Metformin for treating insulin resistance among equids, but it also underlines the need for further studies to properly ascertain parameters like suitable patients for therapy, more efficient dosing schedules, and understanding of the pharmacokinetics of Metformin administration in equids.
Cite This Article
APA
Durham AE, Rendle DI, Newton JE.
(2008).
The effect of metformin on measurements of insulin sensitivity and beta cell response in 18 horses and ponies with insulin resistance.
Equine Vet J, 40(5), 493-500.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516408X273648 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- The Liphook Equine Hospital, Forest Mere, Liphook, Hampshire GU30 7JG, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Area Under Curve
- Blood Glucose / metabolism
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Drug Administration Schedule / veterinary
- Female
- Foot Diseases / blood
- Foot Diseases / etiology
- Foot Diseases / prevention & control
- Foot Diseases / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horses
- Hyperinsulinism / complications
- Hyperinsulinism / drug therapy
- Hyperinsulinism / veterinary
- Hypoglycemic Agents / pharmacokinetics
- Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use
- Insulin / blood
- Insulin / metabolism
- Insulin Resistance
- Insulin-Secreting Cells / drug effects
- Insulin-Secreting Cells / metabolism
- Lameness, Animal / blood
- Lameness, Animal / etiology
- Lameness, Animal / prevention & control
- Male
- Metformin / pharmacokinetics
- Metformin / therapeutic use
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Kellon EM, Gustafson KM. Hypertriglyceridemia in equines with refractory hyperinsulinemia treated with SGLT2 inhibitors.. Open Vet J 2023 Mar;13(3):365-375.
- de Tonnerre DJ, Medina Torres CE, Stefanovski D, Robinson MA, Kemp KL, Bertin FR, van Eps AW. Effect of sirolimus on insulin dynamics in horses.. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Mar;37(2):703-712.
- Kellon EM, Gustafson KM. Use of the SGLT2 inhibitor canagliflozin for control of refractory equine hyperinsulinemia and laminitis.. Open Vet J 2022 Jul-Aug;12(4):511-518.
- Daradics Z, Crecan CM, Rus MA, Morar IA, Mircean MV, Cătoi AF, Cecan AD, Cătoi C. Obesity-Related Metabolic Dysfunction in Dairy Cows and Horses: Comparison to Human Metabolic Syndrome.. Life (Basel) 2021 Dec 16;11(12).
- Ericsson AC, Johnson PJ, Gieche LM, Zobrist C, Bucy K, Townsend KS, Martin LM, LaCarrubba AM. The Influence of Diet Change and Oral Metformin on Blood Glucose Regulation and the Fecal Microbiota of Healthy Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Apr 1;11(4).
- Watts MR, Hegedus OC, Eades SC, Belknap JK, Burns TA. Association of sustained supraphysiologic hyperinsulinemia and inflammatory signaling within the digital lamellae in light-breed horses.. J Vet Intern Med 2019 May;33(3):1483-1492.
- Durham AE, Frank N, McGowan CM, Menzies-Gow NJ, Roelfsema E, Vervuert I, Feige K, Fey K. ECEIM consensus statement on equine metabolic syndrome.. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Mar;33(2):335-349.
- Smieszek A, Kornicka K, Szłapka-Kosarzewska J, Androvic P, Valihrach L, Langerova L, Rohlova E, Kubista M, Marycz K. Metformin Increases Proliferative Activity and Viability of Multipotent Stromal Stem Cells Isolated from Adipose Tissue Derived from Horses with Equine Metabolic Syndrome.. Cells 2019 Jan 22;8(2).
- Morgan R, Keen J, McGowan C. Equine metabolic syndrome.. Vet Rec 2015 Aug 15;177(7):173-9.
- Lacombe VA. Expression and regulation of facilitative glucose transporters in equine insulin-sensitive tissue: from physiology to pathology.. ISRN Vet Sci 2014;2014:409547.
- Burns TA, Watts MR, Weber PS, McCutcheon LJ, Geor RJ, Belknap JK. Effect of dietary nonstructural carbohydrate content on activation of 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase in liver, skeletal muscle, and digital laminae of lean and obese ponies.. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Jul-Aug;28(4):1280-8.
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