Scientists have made an exciting discovery that could change the way people with diabetes take insulin. A new compound has been shown to deliver insulin through the skin in both mice and minipigs.
This means that one day, people with diabetes might not need to rely on injections to manage their blood sugar levels. The research was published in the journal Nature and shows a lot of promise for easier and more comfortable treatment.
Right now, putting medicine through the skin works well for small drugs, like those in nicotine or pain relief patches. But it’s much harder to deliver large molecules, like proteins and peptides, through the skin.
The skin is built to protect the body, so it doesn’t let big molecules pass through easily. There are some methods that try to force these molecules through, like using tiny needles, sound waves, or strong chemicals. However, these methods can damage the skin or cause other problems, which limits their use in real medical treatments.
The new study focused on a special type of compound called OP, which stands for poly[2-(N-oxide-N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]. This is a fast skin-permeable polymer, meaning it can move through the layers of skin quickly. It works by reacting to changes in the skin’s natural pH levels, which helps it pass through without damaging the skin.
When the researchers combined OP with insulin and applied it to the skin, something remarkable happened. The insulin was able to travel through the skin and into the bloodstream. It also reached important parts of the body that help control blood sugar, like the liver and muscles.
In animals with diabetes, the OP-insulin patch lowered their blood sugar to normal levels within one to two hours. This result was similar to what happens with regular insulin injections. Even more impressive, the patch kept blood sugar levels stable for up to 12 hours.
Just as important, there were no harmful effects. The skin cells, blood cells, and major organs like the liver and kidneys all stayed healthy after the treatment. This suggests that OP can deliver insulin safely and without causing damage to the body.
This research could lead to big changes in diabetes care. Instead of using needles, people might someday be able to apply a simple patch to get their insulin.
This would make treatment more comfortable and improve the quality of life for many patients. The patch could also help people stick to their treatment plans better because it’s easier and less painful than injections.
The new compound might also work for other large-molecule medicines, not just insulin. This could open the door to new ways of treating many diseases without the need for injections or other invasive methods.
However, more research is still needed. Scientists need to study the long-term safety of using OP on human skin, find the right dose for each person, and test it in large human trials. But so far, the results are very encouraging.
In summary, this new skin-permeable compound could be a game changer. It offers a new way to deliver insulin and possibly other important medicines without breaking the skin barrier. It could make life easier and healthier for millions of people with diabetes and other conditions in the future.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about a cure for type 2 diabetes, and these vegetables could protect against kidney damage in diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about bone drug that could lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and results showing eating more eggs linked to higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
The study is published in Nature.
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