Background
Semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) is an enzyme that performs oxidative deamination of primary amines to aldehyde, ammonia and hydrogen peroxide. It appears that these products may have important signalling function in the regulation of cell development and glucose homeostasis. Much attention has been given to raised plasma SSAO activity in diabetic patients, both types 1 and 2. We were interested whether the peroral antidiabetic drug metformin affects SSAO activity in vitro. In this study we used metformin because it is usually the first-line medication used for treatment of type 2 diabetes.