In France, 8% of babies are in a hurry to see the day. We are talking about prematurity when the birth occurs before 35 weeks of pregnancy. This condition is linked to a number of health problems: premature children are more likely than others to suffer from hyperactivity, autism, school difficulties …
Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (in the United States) have made an interesting discovery: A drug commonly prescribed to people with type 2 diabetes could help prevent preterm births. This molecule is the metformin (C4H11N5). It is an oral antidiabetic from the family of normoglycemic biguanides: it acts on the liver (where it inhibits the production of glucose) and also makes it possible to reduce the levels of “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides.
Grapes, blueberries and dark chocolate
But thanks to an experiment carried out on mice, scientists discovered that metformin also has another interest: it slows down the cellular aging of the basal decidua, located in the uterus. Normally, this uterine lining comes off at the time ofchildbirth, after 35 weeks of pregnancy. But in some women, the basal decidua peels off much too early: childbirth is then premature. This is where metformin comes into play: it will slow down the process in women deemed “at risk”.
In addition, the researchers also noticed that an antioxidant (the resveratrol) could play the same role as metformin, to a lesser extent. It is found in particular in grapes, blueberries and … dark chocolate!
“Science does not yet fully understand prematurity,” explains Sudhansu K. Dey, the main author of this work published in the specialized journal The Journal of Clinical Investigation. In addition, additional studies will be necessary to assess the side effects of metformin in pregnant women. “In short, to be continued …