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No needles insulin

by ARTiFactor on Apr. 26th, 2008
in and
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No needles insulin
No needles insulin
Courtesy Aki Hanninen

Using needles is a pain

Injecting insulin with needles must be a pain for those with diabetes. Non-needle insulin delivery like inhalers or skin patches have not made it to market. Insulin via pills have failed because stomach acid destroys the insulin.

Stomach-proof gel hints at jab-free diabetes treatment

A new flexible hydrogel, when formed into 100 nanometer particles, can soak up insulin. The insulin within its cage-like structure is resistant to the biodegrading effects of stomach acid or enzymes. In a non-acid environment (like the intestines), the hydrogel swells and releases its insulin payload. When coated with a wheat-germ protein called agglutinin, the nanoparticles stick to the cells in the upper small intestine and helps the insulin get through the intestinal wall and into the blood stream. Animal trials of the gel are planned to start soon.

Sources:
New Scientist Tech
American Chemical Society (Abstract of paper published in Biomacromolecules)

Your Comments, Thoughts, Questions, Ideas

<em>Jefflemus00</em>'s picture

I hope that they DO stop using needles....hate those things.

posted on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 4:09pm
Kunicki24 says:

This would be very helpful i hate having to see my grandma jabbing her self all the time, plus it would be more starel since there wouldn't be dirty needles to worry about....

posted on Wed, 04/30/2008 - 9:44am
<em>Candice_318</em>'s picture

I feel bad for people who have to take them, i hope they get no needles

Candice
Sponsered in part by
IM AWESOME Productions

posted on Thu, 05/01/2008 - 8:54am
zephyr says:

ya we need to stop using thoes damn things they hurt
Kulyas

posted on Thu, 05/08/2008 - 9:55am

i love needles they are so big and pointy its cool

posted on Thu, 05/08/2008 - 9:57am

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