Metformin protects red blood cells against rotenone induced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity

Abstract

Context

The anti-diabetic medicine metformin has been reported as an anti-ageing drug candidate as it mimics the benefits of caloric restriction and reduces ageing-related oxidative stress in various experimental organisms.

Objective

We investigated the possible anti-oxidative role of metformin against rotenone-induced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity in erythrocytes of Wistar rats. Rotenone is a well-known inducer of oxidative stress which leads to a cellular redox imbalance.

Materials and methods

We have co-exposed the experimental rats with rotenone (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) and metformin (300 mg/kg, orally) for 30 days to investigate the protective effects of metformin on various rotenone-induced impaired oxidative stress biomarkers in rat erythrocytes.

Results

We found that a significant alleviation in the levels of rotenone-induced pro-oxidant and anti-oxidant markers following exposure of metformin.

Discussion and conclusions

Our findings suggest that metformin supplementation shows a protective role in against rotenone-induced redox imbalance and cytotoxicity in rat erythrocytes.

Keywords:

• Erythrocyte
• metformin
• rotenone
• oxidative stress
• rat

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was also supported by a research grant to SIR from SERB-DST, Govt. of India [EMR/2016/006470]. Dr D.S. Kothari Post-Doctoral Fellowship scheme of University Grant Commission (UGC), New Delhi, India, is also acknowledged for providing financial support [F(0).4–2/2006 (BSR)/BL/17–18/0381] to Shambhu Sharan Tripathi. The Department of Biochemistry is supported by FIST grant of DST, New Delhi, and SAP DRS I from UGC, India.