Facile Synthetic Design and Characterization of Curcumin-Metformin Adduct: Potential Insights into the Role of This Conjugate in Diseases of Aging

Recently, the anti-glycation and anticancer properties of curcumin longa and okra seed extract were studied alone and also in combination with the well-established drug metformin. The combined effect of curcumin with metformin and metformin with okra seed extract was found to be highly efficacious in inhibiting Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). In order to understand the mechanistic implications of curcumin combined with metformin and its enhanced anti-glycation activity, a Curcumin-Metformin Adduct was chemically synthesized. This adduct was fully characterized by thin-layer chromatography, Nano Drop spectrophotometry and electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry. The adduct may be helpful not only in elucidating the mechanism of anti-glycation and anti-cancer activities but also in studying the role of curcumin in binding of Aβ-oligomers and disaggregating fibrillar formation in Alzheimer’s disease.