ABSTRACT
[Summary] Considerable efforts have been made to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of metformin ,a potent antihyperglycemic agent now recommended as the first‐line treatment of patients with T2DM. The main effect of this drug is to reducethe hepatic glucose output ,primarily through inhibition of the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅰ and then activating AM P‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) ,which provide a generally acceptable mechanism for the action of metformin on hepatic gluconeogenesis. Beyond its effect on glucose metabolism ,metformin has been reported to improve ovarian function of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to reduce the risk of microvascular and macrovascular complications in patients with T2DM. In addition ,metfomin has also recently been suggested as an adjuvant treatment of cancer. Here we reviewed the progress of mechanism research and clinical application of metformin.