Effects of metformin and metformin in combination with omega-3 on newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic Iraqi patients

Deleen Abd-AL Wahab AL-Shukri¹, Mustafa G. AL-Abbassi¹ and Firas Younis AL-Doori²

¹Department of Pharmacology and Toxoicology, College of Pharmacy, Al-Mustansiriyha University,  Baghdad, Iraq.

²National Diabetes Center for Treatment and Research, Al-Mustansiriyha University, Baghdad, Iraq.

*Corresponding author`s e-mail: suniljw@hotmail.com

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is defined as a syndrome characterized by insulin deficiency, insulin resistance and increased hepatic glucose output. To compare the effects of an insulin sensitizer, metformin and metformin in combination with omega-3 on blood glucose level, serum insulin and oxidative stress state in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. This is an open-label, randomized study carried out on 24 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients. Patients were randomly divided into two groups and assigned for treatment with either metformin (n=12) or metformin in combination with omega-3 (n=12)   for 2 months. The level of fasting blood glucose (FBG), post-prandial blood glucose (PPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum insulin and serummalondialdehyde (MDA) were calculated before and after one month and two months of treatment.  FBG, post prandial blood glucose and HbA1c significantly decreased in both treated groups after one month and two months of treatment. Serum insulin level decreased non-significantly with metformin and metformin in combination with omega-3 after one and two months of treatment. The level of serum MDA decreased significantly in group treated with metformin in combination with omega-3 after one month and two months of treatment and in metformin treated group after two months, while insignificant decrease observed after one month in metformin treated group. Omega-3 has no significant effect on glycemic control and insulin secretion but  has beneficial effect on  oxidative stress state.

Keywords:Type 2 DM, MDA, metformin, omega-3.