It’s not always easy for people diabetics to inject insulin on a daily basis. You have to get the necessary equipment each time, and getting bitten is generally not very pleasant. To help diabetics, scientists have studied the possibility of taking insulin by mouth. They demonstrated the performance of a pill powered by ‘chemical micromotors’ to deliver insulin into the colon of rats.
According to scientists, a pill to swallow would be easier to use than a product to inject. Nevertheless, insulin is a fragile molecule which can break down in the stomach before it reaches the intestines where it is absorbed into the circulatory system.
Protect molecule from stomach environment
For a long time, scientists have been working on a way to create insulin to be taken by mouth. Recent studies have explored a way to encapsulate the hormone in a coating so that it can survive the extreme environment of the stomach. However, when the capsule arrives in the intestine, the insulin will have to be diffused passively through the membrane to the circulatory system.
Other studies have proposed nanoparticles to solve this problem. These nanoparticles end up in the blood and only release insulin when sugar levels rise. There has also been the design of capsules with microscopic needles that inject insulin directly into the membrane of the stomach.
How the new pills work
Regarding the new study, Chinese scientists have developed an oral pill capable of transporting insulin to the colon, but which also allows the product to pass through the intestinal wall. This is achieved through what researchers call “chemical micromotors” which propel the pill.
According to the information, the pills are 3mm in length. They contain magnesium microparticles and a solution containing insulin and a layer of liposomes. The whole thing is mixed with baking soda and wrapped in an esterified starch solution.
The researchers explain that each of these elements has a role in the operation of the pill. The starch protects the pills as they pass through the stomach on their way to the colon. At this level, the microparticles are released, allowing the magnesium to react with the water and produce a stream of hydrogen bubbles. This process will push the pill against the wall of the colon where it will be absorbed more efficiently.
In rats, scientists observed that these breakthrough pills could significantly lower blood glucose levels for over 5 hours.
Scientists say the system is a step closer to developing insulin pills, but it could also be used to produce oral versions of other injection drugs.
SOURCE: New Atlas