Table 2 Effect of antidiabetic drugs on WAT in T2D

Insulin therapy

Increase SAT; raise omentin-1and adiponectin levels

[151,152,153]

Sulfonylureas (glibenclamide)

Reduce FFA levels; enhance glucose transport and lipogenesis in WAT

[154, 155]

Sulfonylureas (glimepiride/glibenclamide)

Promote the hypertrophic phenotype of adipocytes; increase TNF-α mRNA expression in WAT

[156]

Metformin

Reduce VAT mass, liver fat and the levels of FFA, PAI-1 and leptin; lower serum pro-inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and MCP-1) and protein levels (MCP-1, NF-κB, and NLRP3) in VAT

[157,158,159,160,161]

GLP-1RAs (exenatide)

Reduce liver fat and epicardial fat

[162]

GLP-1RAs (liraglutide)

Reduce VAT; increase omentin-1 levels

[163, 164]

GLP-1RAs (semaglutide)

Reduce VAT, liver steatosis and fatty liver index

[165, 166]

GLP-1RAs (tirzepatide)

Reduce liver fat content, VAT and abdominal SAT

[167]

TZDs (rosiglitazone/troglitazone)

Reduce FFA esterification, lipolysis and leptin levels; increase adiponectin levels and small adipocyte numbers

[34]

TZDs (rosiglitazone)

Reduce the intra-abdominal adipose tissue to abdominal SAT ratio, liver fat, the levels of visfatin, resistin and FFA, the expression of inflammation-related genes macrophage inflammatory protein-1α and IL-6 in SAT; increase adiponectin levels

[168,169,170,171,172,173,174]

TZDs (troglitazon)

Reduce VAT and intra-abdominal adipose tissue; increase SAT

[175,176,177,178]

TZDs (pioglitazone)

Reduce PAI-1 levels; increase SAT adiponectin levels

[179,180,181]

SGLT-2 inhibitors (canagliflozin)

Reduce VAT

[182]

SGLT-2 inhibitors (Dapagliflozin)

Reduce liver fat, adipose tissue volume, body fat mass, and abdominal VAT and SAT; increase adiponectin levels

[183,184,185]

SGLT-2 inhibitors (empagliflozin)

Reduce VAT and liver fat; decrease the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and diminishing macrophage infiltration in VAT

[186, 187]