NLRP3 and acute respiratory distress syndrome: In summary, metformin can delay the progression of diseases such as vasculitis (37, 38), acute respiratory distress syndrome (39), type 2 diabetes-induced inflammatory response (40), colitis (41), and central nervous system inflammation (43) by blocking NF-κB inflammatory signaling, inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation, suppressing the expression of scavenger receptors, and downregulating the expression of pro-inflammatory factors.