We hypothesized that the pharmacodynamic (PD) characteristics of metformin would change with inhibition of the multidrug and toxin extrusion (MATE) transporter, which mediates renal elimination of metformin. Twenty healthy male subjects received two doses (750/500 mg) of metformin, with and without 50 mg of pyrimethamine (a potent MATE inhibitor), with 1 week of washout in between each dose. The PD characteristics of metformin were assessed using oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) before and after the metformin dose. Metformin concentrations in plasma and urine were determined using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. When metformin was co-administered with pyrimethamine, its area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 12 h was 2.58-fold greater (p < 0.05), whereas the antihyperglycaemic effects of metformin were decreased. The mean differences (90% confidence interval) in mean and maximum serum glucose concentrations and in 2-h-post-OGTT serum glucose concentration were -0.6 (-1, -0.2), -0.9 (-1.6, -0.3) and -0.5 (-1.1, 0.1) mmol/l, respectively. These findings indicate that the response to metformin is not only related to the plasma exposure of metformin but is also related to other factors, such as inhibition of uptake transporters and the gastrointestinal-based pharmacology of metformin.

Age-related physiological changes are known to alter the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of drugs. Metformin is commonly used as first-line medication for management of diabetes in elderly patients. However, the PK and PD of metformin have not been sufficiently studied in elderly subjects. Here, 12 elderly subjects, aged 65 to 85 years, and 20 younger healthy volunteers were orally administered 750 mg of metformin 2 hours after dinner, followed by administration of a second dose (500 mg) 12 hours later. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed 2 hours after the second dose, with 75 g of glucose administered. Blood samples were collected at specific time points after the second metformin dose for the assessment of PK and the glucose-lowering effect of metformin. Elderly subjects exhibited 1.7 and 2.0 times higher average Cmax and AUC∞ than the younger subjects, respectively (P = .007 and .001, respectively), and t1/2 was comparable between the elderly and younger subjects. However, relative glucose level changes from baseline after metformin administration tended to be lower in elderly subjects. Systemic exposure to metformin was elevated by 50% or more in elderly subjects, whereas the glucose-lowering effect was similar compared to younger subjects after 2 doses of metformin.