Synergistic insulinotropic effect of metformin-Mg2+ adjunct supplement: A case study of streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes in sprague dawley rats

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is currently a major public health concern, because its incidence and prevalence are elevated and increasing, reaching epidemic proportions.1 Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been distinguished with persistently elevated blood glucose leading to acute or long term complications. Globally, DM presents increased public health issue. The prevalence of DM in all age groups rate is expected to rise by 8% to 170 million in 2000 and by 4.4% to 366 million in 2030.2 Normal non-diabetic patients maintain plasma glucose <100 mg/dl in the fasting and <135 mg/dl in the post prandial period. Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both.1 Diabetes mellitus is classified as type 1, type 2, other specific types and gestational diabetes.1 Type1diabetes is known as insulin dependent diabetes or Juvenile-onset diabetes and type 2 diabetes is known as non-insulin dependent or adult onset diabetes.1 Metformin is currently the drug of choice in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, as indicated in the guidelines published by the European Association for the Study of Diabetes and American Diabetes Association.3 Magnesium is an essential mineral with several dietary sources including whole grains, green leafy vegetables, legumes, and nuts. It is the fourth most abundant ions present in living cells and its plasma concentration is remarkably constant in healthy subjects. Homeostasis of magnesium is tightly regulated and depends on the balance between intestinal absorption and renal excretion. Insufficient cellular magnesium levels set the stage for deterioration of proper metabolic function that typically snowballs into more significant health problems. Researchers have detected 3751 magnesium binding sites on human protein, reflecting how important this mineral is to biological processes.4 Emerging evidence has indicated a genetic basis for magnesium metabolism in human. In prospective observational studies, dietary magnesium intake has been inversely associated with the incidence of the metabolic syndrome and associated chronic diseases includes type 2 D.5