Evidence Hub

The effect of metformin on alveolar bone in ligature-induced periodontitis in rats: a pilot study

Bak EJ, Park HG, Kim M, Kim SW, Kim S, Choi SH, Cha JH, Yoo YJ

Journal of periodontology, 2010

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The use of metformin, an antidiabetic agent, is associated with a reduced risk of fractures in patients with diabetes, suggesting that metformin exerts a beneficial effect on bone tissues. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of metformin on alveolar bone loss in ligature-induced periodontitis and osteoblast, osteoclast, and adipocyte differentiation.

METHODS: Periodontitis was induced by a ligature around the mandibular first molar of each rat. The rats were divided into two groups: 1) rats with ligature receiving a vehicle (n = 5), and 2) rats with ligature receiving metformin (n = 5). On day 10, after the induction of periodontitis, the alveolar bone volume between the first and second molar was determined via microcomputed tomography. The effect of metformin on osteoblast, osteoclast, and adipocyte differentiation was assessed using MC3T3-E1, cocultures of mouse bone marrow cells and calvaria-derived osteoblasts, and 3T3-L1/C3H10T1/2 cells, respectively. Osteoblast, osteoclast, and adipocyte differentiation was estimated by the degree of mineralization, the formation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive multinucleated cells, and the accumulation of triglycerides, respectively.

RESULTS: In ligature-induced periodontitis, the metformin treatment of rats induced a significant reduction in alveolar bone loss compared to vehicle-treated rats. With regard to osteoblast differentiation, metformin augmented the mineralization of MC3T3-E1…

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free