Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026

Hyperinsulinemic-Euglycemic Clamp in the Conscious Rat
Published on: February 7, 2011
Evaluation of an oral insulin formulation in normal and diabetic rats
Hossein Najafzadeh1, Hossein Kooshapur, Fakhri Kianidehkordi
1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran. najafzadeh@scu.ac.ir
Aim:
As injection is not an ideal means for insulin delivery, various attempts have been made to administer insulin orally until now. The development of an oral dosage form of insulin would help diabetic patients and make the treatment more convenient. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an oral insulin formulation containing polar and non-polar ingredients.
Materials And Methods:
New excipient for oral insulin administration in normal and diabetic rats was evaluated by measuring blood glucose concentrations in two groups (10 rats each) of normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Oral insulin was administrated and blood glucose was measured by glucometer at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 h post-feeding. The data was compared by Student's t test.
Results:
Oral insulin formulation significantly (P<0.05) reduced blood glucose from 100 mg/dl to 33.73 mg/dl and 451.66 mg/dl to 200.83 mg/dl at 4 h in normal and diabetic rats, respectively.
Conclusion:
The novel excipient used could protect insulin from gastric and pancreatic enzymes and reduce blood glucose concentration in both healthy and diabetic rats suggesting that oral delivery of insulin is feasible in a near future.
Related Concept Videos
Insulin Formulations: Types and Delivery
Short-acting insulins are divided into rapid-acting...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Glinides
Insulin: Dosing Regimen and Adverse Effects
The basal dose constitutes about 40%-50% of the total daily dose, with the rest as premeal insulin. The mealtime insulin dose should mirror...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Biguanides and Glitazones
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Sulfonylureas
Insulin: Biosynthesis, Chemistry, and Preparation
Damage or functional impairment of β-cells inhibits insulin production, leading to diabetes. Diabetes treatment primarily uses...
