Researchers have already assessed metformin's antiviral and antibacterial benefits against viruses like Zika and hepatitis C. Now, they have reported the role of the drug in COVID-19 treatment. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, metformin lowers the risk of ER visits, hospitalization, or deaths in overweight or obese COVID-19 patients by more than 40% and 50% if administered promptly after the onset of symptoms. Another study with over 6,600 type 2 diabetes patients with COVID-19 showed that with metformin use, there was a 50% reduction in mortality and the need for a breathing tube.
The study has been published in Plos One. Researchers postulate that metformin inhibits a protein called Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ( MTOR ) that the SARS-CoV-2 virus requires to assemble itself before releasing a fresh batch of viruses outside the cell. This prevents…
