Inhibition of carbohydrate-induced hypertriglyceridemia by metformin.

The ability of metformin to prevent carbohydrate-induced hypertriglyceridemia was studied in fructose fed rats. The results indicated that plasma triglycerides were approximately 50% reduced in the drug treated rats and the reduction was associated with lowered very low density lipoprotein-triglyceride secretion rates and plasma insulin levels. Since the drug does not affect the fructose intestinal absorption, it did not prevent normal rate of weight gain. These results provide further evidence for the existence of a causal relationship between plasma TG concentration and plasma insulin concentration; metformin is able to modify both these variables likely affecting primarily the ambient insulin level.