Scientists have created insulin drops that are given orally, and are quickly and efficiently absorbed by the body when placed under the tongue, as an alternative that may replace insulin injections.
This innovation was achieved by researchers led by Dr. Shih Dar Lee at the University of British Columbia, Canada. The results were published in two studies in the Journal of Controlled Release on February 29 and March 4, and he wrote about Innovation Eurek Alert website.
The drops contain a mixture of insulin and a unique cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) developed by Dr. Shih-Dar Lee and colleagues.
Researcher Dr. Lee, a professor at the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, explains that insulin is a complex molecule, and when given in pill form, it is easily destroyed in the stomach. It is a large molecule, which cannot pass through cells easily on its own. The new peptide, which is obtained from fish by-products, opens a pathway for insulin to pass through.
A peptide is a short chain of 2 to 50 amino acids. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are short peptides consisting of less than 30 amino acids. Their ability to move across the cell membrane while carrying large biomolecules has been the subject of experiments.
And“Whoever thinks of the peptide as a guide helps insulin navigate through a maze to get into the bloodstream quickly finds this guide the best route, making it easier for insulin to get where it’s needed,” said researcher Dr. Jiamin Wu.
Healthy people get insulin naturally from the pancreas to regulate glucose after a meal. People with diabetes cannot produce enough insulin and need to obtain it from an external source.
Unregulated glucose can be very dangerous, so diabetics should monitor their glucose levels and take insulin to lower it. Patients usually need at least 3 to 4 injections per day, which may affect their quality of life.