Amity Island
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Currently, insulin cannot be taken in pill form as it would be quickly broken down by digestive enzymes in the stomach and so prevented from reaching the bloodstream where it is needed.
To overcome this problem, the researchers propose adding a chemical tag composed of a small fragment of protein known as a peptide that would allow the drug to enter the bloodstream through the intestines.
To test the peptide’s ability to move through the body, the team fed it to mice and then charted its progress from the animals’ intestines, into the bloodstream and ultimately into their organs using a PET scan.
Now that they have proven that the tag can successfully enter the bloodstream after being administered orally, the team plan to determine whether the tag can do the same thing when attached to a selection of drugs, including insulin.
To overcome this problem, the researchers propose adding a chemical tag composed of a small fragment of protein known as a peptide that would allow the drug to enter the bloodstream through the intestines.
To test the peptide’s ability to move through the body, the team fed it to mice and then charted its progress from the animals’ intestines, into the bloodstream and ultimately into their organs using a PET scan.
Now that they have proven that the tag can successfully enter the bloodstream after being administered orally, the team plan to determine whether the tag can do the same thing when attached to a selection of drugs, including insulin.
Chemical ‘tag’ may allow insulin to be taken in pills, making daily injections to manage diabetes a thing of the past | BBC Science Focus Magazine
Initial success in a mice study shows that the technique holds promise, the researchers say.
www.sciencefocus.com
