'Anti-diabetic drug' may help keep cholesterol in check

In a new study, researchers have claimed that a drug, used to treat type 2 diabetes, can help modulate cholesterol levels in patients.

The researchers at Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen and German Diabetes Center Dusseldorf analysed more than 1.800 blood samples of participants.

They found that the administration of the drug Metformin in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes led to a change in metabolite levels.

According to the authors, this was associated with a significantly decreased level of LDL cholesterol, which is under strong suspicion to promote cardiovascular diseases by causing atherosclerosis.

Researcher Rui Wang-Sattler of the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen said that they speculate that Metformin intake affects the levels of LDL cholesterol via AMPK, leading to a down-regulation of the genes FADS1 and 2.

First author Tao Xu said that their study suggested that Metformin might indeed have an additional beneficial effect with regards to cardiovascular diseases among the Diabetes patients.

The study is published in the journal Diabetes Care.