X-Message-Number: 26680 Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 08:46:32 -0400 From: Thomas Donaldson <> Subject: re: D Skrecky's Msg 26669 For Doug Skrecky: The trouble with phenformin is that it had toxic effects on humans when they tried it for their diabetes. However there is an experiment going on right now (and which may have actually concluded by now) with a related antidiabetic drug, metformin. A lifespan test funded by the LIFE EXTENSION FOUNDATION is now going on with metformin. Its importance comes from the fact that it may work in humans too, because metformin doesn't have the same toxic effects as phenformin. I discuss metformin briefly in the latest version of the GUIDE TO ANTIAGING DRUGS, in Appendix 2: DRUGS WAITING IN THE WINGS. When I get full references on the result of this lifespan experiment I will put together one more chapter on it (or add it to Chapter 11). Among other points these experiments tell us that even rats and mice aren't always close enough to us that results with them translate over with no problems. And looking at toxicity of a drug in humans takes far less time than testing its lifespan effect in humans! I don't know if buformin has ever been used in humans. Diphenylhydantoin is an alternative name for what is popularly called dilantin, and does increase lifespan in tests on rats (Chapter 11 of the GUIDE, again). Best wishes and long long life to all, Thomas Donaldson Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=26680