Researchers developed nanoparticles covered of insulin that is absorbed orally. This oral administration formula has been tested successfully in healthy animals.

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The insulin is a hormone that produces the pancreas responsible of carry the sugar to them muscles and them organs of the body for these it used as fuel and can operate. In people with type 1 diabetes – and over time, also in those who suffer from type 2 diabetes-, the pancreas leaves of produce insulin, that must be injected to keep an adequate level of sugar in the blood.

Researchers of the Center advanced in diseases chronic (ACCDIS) and of the Faculty of Sciences chemical and pharmaceutical of the U. of Chile, headed by the academic Javier Morales, are working in the development of a new via of administration of insulin that avoid have to inject it in legs or in the stomach.

According to explains Morales, "insulin is a peptide and", along with the protein and with acids nucleic, are a type of molecules that serve to solve problems, but they are super different from the conventional, such as aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen, they are small molecular structures". The insulin is a molecule large and that causes get several disadvantages, because it is unstable and that it should be injected, already that if administered orally as a capsule, for example, "never would have the chance to absorb it, because the drug is inestabiliza in the stomach or intestine", indicates.

The Group managed to develop nanoparticles in printed sheets that are coated with insulin. It's very small crystals that can be absorbed through the oral mucosa. By the way in which is deposited on these crystals insulin, This is stable and passes into the bloodstream in the same way. "To make insulin in sheets, is necessary that be particles very small. So insulin is available to dissolve and, at the same time, will keep stable, It is that we reach the configuration of nanoparticles coated insulin", explains Morales.

Once the mucous membranes absorb insulin, This directly enters the blood, avoiding all the problems associated to an administration oral. "Once in circulation, "the insulin can exercise its effect of the same way that it would make managed as injection".

It drug developed is "in a sheet that contains the dose required by the patient", that will apply in the cheek, deliver insulin, and then the blade dissolves so that they have to withdraw patients", says Morales. In principle, This same technology could be used for other mucosal or wet routes of the body such as eyes or nose.

By now there has been a pilot study in healthy animals. The result? "We could see that insulin is absorbed. "Now there is that test in a model of animal sick", ahead of the researcher.

Source: La Tercera