Original Articles
22 April 2025
Vol. 19 No. 2 (2025)
https://doi.org/10.4081/itjm.2025.1940

Metformin’s therapeutic potential in adenomyosis: insights from interleukin 8 level

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Adenomyosis, interleukin 8, metformin, inflammation, pain
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Authors

Damas Hendriansyah
damasilmiah@gmail.com
https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3944-1678
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia.
Nusratuddin Abdullah
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia.
Rudy B. Leonardy
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia.
Mardiah Tahir
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia.
Samrichard Rambulangi
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia.
Firdaus Hamid
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia.

Adenomyosis is a gynecological disorder characterized by the invasion of endometrial tissue into the myometrium, leading to chronic inflammation and pelvic pain. Interleukin 8 (IL-8) plays a key role in inflammation and pain sensitization in adenomyosis. Metformin, an antidiabetic agent, exerts anti-inflammatory effects by activating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, inhibiting IL-8 production, and reducing inflammatory cell infiltration. This cohort-prospective study evaluates the effects of metformin on IL-8 levels and pain in adenomyosis patients. This cohort-prospective study in Makassar, Indonesia, included 40 women diagnosed with adenomyosis via physical examination and ultrasound examination in a polyclinic at Hasanuddin University Teaching Hospital. Participants were divided into two groups: 20 received metformin 500 mg and ibuprofen 400 mg every 8 hours for 30 days, while 20 only received ibuprofen. All statistical analyses were conducted using the Statistical Program for Social Sciences (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA). IL-8 levels increased in both groups (p=0.45). Visual Analog Scale (VAS) significantly decreased in the metformin group (p<0.001) but was not significant in the control group (p=0.06). Comparison of changes in IL-8 (p=0.13) and VAS (p=0.09) levels between the metformin and control groups was not statistically significant. This study suggests that the anti-diabetic drug metformin can also be used as an anti-inflammatory drug in adenomyosis patients as an adjunctive therapy. Further clinical trials need to be done on metformin drugs.

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Metformin’s therapeutic potential in adenomyosis: insights from interleukin 8 level. (2025). Italian Journal of Medicine, 19(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/itjm.2025.1940
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