Researchers have been able to find something that may take you for a surprise, as it has taken already the researchers who have found it.

They have found that the popular diabetes medicine metformin does not work in a way that had been thought of, rather, the new discovery shows that it could possibly be used for treating cancer, tuberous sclerosis complex and other diseases.

The findings of this study, which is led by George Thomas, PhD, Scientific Director of UC's Metabolic Diseases Institute, are printed in the May 5 publication of Cell Metabolism.

Metformin is extensively prescribed to individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes and may be further extended to the treatment of definite cancers.

The medicine blocks the production of glucose or sugar, and boosts sensitivity to insulin, which is a hormone, that converts sugar and other foods into energy inside the body.

Researchers have considered that metformin, which is an energy-deprivation agent; it disables the mammalian target of rapamycin complex, by firstly activating the tuberous sclerosis complex proteins, through the enzyme, AMPK.

Thomas' group is determined that mTOR may well in fact be disabled even if there is no AMPK, and even with no TSC. The group was capable of determining that metformin works to hit mTOR, via one more enzyme, RAG GTPase.