Metformin improves the weight reduction effect of mazindol in prediabetic obese Mexican subjects

• Published in: International journal of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics Vol. 60; no. 8; pp. 336 - 345
• Main Authors: Arguelles-Tello, Federico Alberto, Kammar-García, Ashuin, Trejo-Jasso, Cristian Adolfo, Huerta-Cruz, Juan Carlos, Barranco-Garduño, Lina Marcela, Rocha-González, Héctor Isaac, Reyes-García, Juan Gerardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Munich Dustri - Verlag Dr. Karl Feistle GmbH & Co. KG 01.08.2022; Dustri-Verlag Dr. Karl Feistle
• Subjects: Antidiabetics; Pharmacology
• ISSN: 0946-1965
• DOI: 10.5414/CP204180

Objective: Obesity is the strongest risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2D). We aimed to explore 7% weight reduction rates of mazindol alone or combined with metformin in non-diabetic obese Mexican subjects who had additional risk factors for T2D.Materials and methods: In this randomized double-blind study, 137 participants received 1 mg mazindol (n = 65) alone or combined with 500 mg metformin (n = 72), twice a day, for 6 months.Results: Mazindol and mazindol-metformin were similarly effective. However, when subjects were subclassified into non-diabetics and prediabetics, according to glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) – < 5.7% and 5.7 – 6.4%, respectively – and/or fasting plasma glucose (FPG) – < 100 mg/dL and 100 – 125 mg/dL, respectively –, differences were evident. Prediabetics in the mazindol-metformin group had a higher rate of 7% weight reduction (78.4%, n = 37) compared to prediabetics treated with mazindol (48.3%, n = 29). Furthermore, mazindol-metformin treatment induced significant reductions in fasting plasma insulin, HOMA-IR, and HbA1c in prediabetics compared to mazindol. No differences were found in any parameter between non-diabetics treated with mazindol (n = 36) and mazindol-metformin (n = 35).Conclusion: Our results highlight the effectiveness of mazindol-metformin to achieve higher rates of 7% weight reduction and to improve the glycemic profile in prediabetic obese subjects, which could be useful to prevent or delay T2D in these subjects.