Insulin under the tongue
Injections are not the most convenient way to inject insulin for diabetic patients. To date, many tablet alternatives have been developed and tested, but the problem is that the acidic environment of the stomach destroys insulin: for example, one injection usually requires 100 IU of insulin, and oral tablets must contain 500 IU of insulin, which is mostly wasted. This is a serious problem that needs to be circumvented.
Anubhav Pratap Singh and his colleagues from the University of British Columbia have created pills that are not designed to be swallowed, they need to be placed between the gum and cheek until completely absorbed. Insulin is absorbed through the mucous membrane of the cheeks and is delivered to the liver without loss, without being destroyed along the way.
Most experimental tablet forms of insulin, as a rule, release insulin slowly after two to four hours, while injectable short insulin acts after 30 minutes.
Like a short insulin injection, the new resorption pill starts releasing insulin after half an hour and acts for four hours.
The secret of success lies in the dehydration method: chitosan nanoparticles loaded with insulin and mannitol as a cryoprotector are freeze-dried and spray-dried. This method of dehydration provides a complete restoration of the structure of nanoparticles during dissolution.
In an experiment on rats, even after two hours after taking the pill, the researchers found no traces of insulin in the stomach of the animals. All of it accumulated in the liver – an ideal target for insulin.
In addition to the obvious potential benefits for diabetics, insulin tablets can also be less "capricious" when stored, more economical and affordable.
The ultimate goal of the work is to reduce the cost of a dose of insulin, since the oral form can be easier to manufacture and transport: unlike injections, tablets do not require storage in the refrigerator.
Article Y.Guo et al. Production of high loading insulin nanoparticles suitable for oral delivery by spray drying and freeze drying techniques is published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the University of British Columbia: UBC team developing oral insulin tablet sees breakthrough results.