Component
Biguanide-copper coordination complex
Biguanide-copper coordination complex. Species, exposure and limitations are retained in each linked claim.
2 recorded relationships. Experimental role, claim status and evidence remain attached to each record.
How nutrients influence it
Every nutrient with a recorded effect on this component, credited to the nutrient that acted rather than the chapter that recorded it. Open a nutrient to see the findings and the conditions they were measured under.
Other things that act on it
Enzymes, hormones, genes, and other components with a recorded effect. These are not nutrients, so they do not count toward the arrows above. Each finding names the chapter that recorded it.
How nutrients reach it in more than one step
Chains of two or more recorded steps that end here, grouped by the nutrient they start from. Each step is a separate finding, so a chain is a route a mechanism could take, not proof that it does.
Tracing routes…
What it does
Every recorded relationship this component is part of, grouped by its role. Plain wording comes first; the technical statement follows.
Where it participates (unsigned role)
Metformin can occur as an anion in aqueous medium at moderate pH and forms much stronger complexes with Cu(II) ions than the comparator propanediimidamide, suggesting that biguanides may induce oxidation of Cu(I) ions extracted from proteins.
Experimental context and source evidence
- evidence_span
- {"source_cache": "artifacts/metformin-research/24433134.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "a6dda36e30a49ba48e8200b6de36f39a8ab80a1bcbda819c03d3442bb8705963", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 1430, "text_sha256": "a6dda36e30a49ba48e8200b6de36f39a8ab80a1bcbda819c03d3442bb8705963"}
- experimental_model
- Computational and binding comparison of metformin and propanediimidamide with copper
- exposure
- Copper(I) and copper(II) binding energies, pKa and hydrophilicity
- limitations
- A chemistry study proposing a pro-oxidant role. It is explicitly a hypothesis about mitochondrial activity, not a cellular measurement.
- nutrient_topic
- Metformin research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and pharmacological exposure is not dietary intake. · Metformin
- organism
- Chemical and computational
- plain_language
- The drug grabs copper tightly enough that it could pull it off proteins and oxidise it.
- primary_references
- [metformin-p24433134] Biomolecular mode of action of metformin in relation to its copper binding properties. (2014). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24433134/ DOI: 10.1021/bi401444n
- tissue_or_cell_type
- Molecular interaction
Metformin: transport, molecular targets, gut mechanisms and nutrient interactions (2026-09-19) · lines 1373–1384
AI-assisted literature curation; primary study URLs and scope retained in the document and extraction. Not publisher full text. · supports · Computational and binding comparison of metformin and propanediimidamide with copper · source_derived_draft · unverified_draft
### metformin-copper-binding-chemistry Metformin can occur as an anion in aqueous medium at moderate pH and forms much stronger complexes with Cu(II) ions than the comparator propanediimidamide, suggesting that biguanides may induce oxidation of Cu(I) ions extracted from proteins. Condition category: normal nutrient_topic: Metformin research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and pharmacological exposure is not dietary intake. plain_language: The drug grabs copper tightly enough that it could pull it off proteins and oxidise it. organism: Chemical and computational tissue_or_cell_type: Molecular interaction experimental_model: Computational and binding comparison of metformin and propanediimidamide with copper limitations: A chemistry study proposing a pro-oxidant role. It is explicitly a hypothesis about mitochondrial activity, not a cellular measurement. exposure: Copper(I) and copper(II) binding energies, pKa and hydrophilicity evidence_span: {"source_cache": "artifacts/metformin-research/24433134.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "a6dda36e30a49ba48e8200b6de36f39a8ab80a1bcbda819c03d3442bb8705963", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 1430, "text_sha256": "a6dda36e30a49ba48e8200b6de36f39a8ab80a1bcbda819c03d3442bb8705963"} [metformin-p24433134] Biomolecular mode of action of metformin in relation to its copper binding properties. (2014). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24433134/ DOI: 10.1021/bi401444n
Complete structured claim and evidenceRegulation of S6 phosphorylation was prevented only by direct modification of the metal-liganding groups of the biguanide structure, supporting that AMPK and S6 phosphorylation are regulated independently by biguanides.
Experimental context and source evidence
- evidence_span
- {"source_cache": "artifacts/metformin-research/22492524.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "a0b1587d871d78b3bccefc5a47b277191faf6bc3b070dbe43295a0b21a633c56", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 1526, "text_sha256": "a0b1587d871d78b3bccefc5a47b277191faf6bc3b070dbe43295a0b21a633c56"}
- experimental_model
- Copper sequestration and biguanide analogues in cells, with mitochondrial measurements
- exposure
- Metformin and analogues with and without copper sequestration
- limitations
- A metal-dependence result using chemical sequestration and structural analogues. It does not establish that copper status in a person changes the drug’s effect.
- nutrient_topic
- Metformin research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and pharmacological exposure is not dietary intake. · Metformin
- organism
- Cultured cells
- plain_language
- Two of the drug’s effects depend on the metal in different ways, so they are separate routes.
- primary_references
- [metformin-p22492524] Cellular responses to the metal-binding properties of metformin. (2012). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22492524/ DOI: 10.2337/db11-0961
- tissue_or_cell_type
- Mitochondria and cytoplasm
Metformin: transport, molecular targets, gut mechanisms and nutrient interactions (2026-09-19) · lines 1360–1371
AI-assisted literature curation; primary study URLs and scope retained in the document and extraction. Not publisher full text. · supports · Copper sequestration and biguanide analogues in cells, with mitochondrial measurements · source_derived_draft · unverified_draft
### metformin-copper-s6-independent Regulation of S6 phosphorylation was prevented only by direct modification of the metal-liganding groups of the biguanide structure, supporting that AMPK and S6 phosphorylation are regulated independently by biguanides. Condition category: normal nutrient_topic: Metformin research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and pharmacological exposure is not dietary intake. plain_language: Two of the drug’s effects depend on the metal in different ways, so they are separate routes. organism: Cultured cells tissue_or_cell_type: Mitochondria and cytoplasm experimental_model: Copper sequestration and biguanide analogues in cells, with mitochondrial measurements limitations: A metal-dependence result using chemical sequestration and structural analogues. It does not establish that copper status in a person changes the drug’s effect. exposure: Metformin and analogues with and without copper sequestration evidence_span: {"source_cache": "artifacts/metformin-research/22492524.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "a0b1587d871d78b3bccefc5a47b277191faf6bc3b070dbe43295a0b21a633c56", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 1526, "text_sha256": "a0b1587d871d78b3bccefc5a47b277191faf6bc3b070dbe43295a0b21a633c56"} [metformin-p22492524] Cellular responses to the metal-binding properties of metformin. (2012). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22492524/ DOI: 10.2337/db11-0961
Complete structured claim and evidence
The events it takes part in
A mechanism often involves more than two components. These are the full events, with every participant and its role.
Situations it appears in
Low-supply and faulty-machinery situations recorded in the chapters where this component plays a part.
In the sources
Preserved passages that mention this component, quoted exactly. Open one to read it in context.
Open hypotheses
Proposed ideas that involve this component. They are labeled as hypotheses and do not change any recorded statement.
This is a research prototype built from draft material. It is not medical advice, and its statements still await verification against the original studies.