Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2025
04:09
Development and Characterization of Fusidic Acid-Loaded Alginate-Aloe vera Based Hydrogel FilmWound Healing
Published on: December 13, 2024
455
Core-shell aerogel design for enhanced oral insulin delivery
Gozde Ozesme Taylan1, Carlos Illanes-Bordomás2, Ozge Guven3
1Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics
|December 7, 2024
Summary
New aerogel carriers offer a patient-friendly oral delivery for insulin, improving encapsulation efficiency and controlled release in the intestines, unlike traditional injections.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Protein-based therapies often require injections, causing patient discomfort and frequent administration.
- Oral protein delivery faces challenges like degradation in gastric environments and poor absorption.
- Aerogels, with high porosity and surface area, present a novel platform for oral protein therapeutics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize natural polysaccharide-based aerogels for oral insulin delivery.
- To compare conventional and core-shell aerogel structures for enhanced protein encapsulation.
- To evaluate the in vitro release profile of insulin from developed aerogels.
Main Methods:
- Aerogels synthesized using supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) drying of alginate gel beads.
- Characterization via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for structural analysis.
- Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to assess structural differences.
- In vitro release studies conducted in Simulated Gastric Fluid (SGF) and Simulated Intestinal Fluid (SIF).
Main Results:
- Core-shell aerogels exhibited superior structural uniformity and porosity compared to conventional aerogels.
- Encapsulation efficiency significantly higher for core-shell (53%) versus conventional (12%) aerogels.
- Core-shell aerogels showed minimal insulin release (30%) in SGF but substantial release (60%) in SIF within an hour, followed by sustained release.
Conclusions:
- Core-shell aerogels demonstrate enhanced carrier properties for oral insulin delivery.
- The developed aerogels show potential for controlled release of short-acting insulin therapeutics.
- Aerogel technology offers a promising, patient-friendly alternative to injectable protein therapies.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Insulin Formulations: Types and Delivery
167
Insulin preparations are categorized by their duration of action into short-acting and long-acting types. Two strategies are used to modify insulin's absorption and pharmacokinetic profile: slowing the absorption post-subcutaneous injection, or altering human insulin's amino acid sequence or protein structure. These changes retain the insulin's ability to bind to the insulin receptor, but alter its behavior in solution or after injection.
Short-acting insulins are divided into...
Short-acting insulins are divided into...
167
01:18Drug Delivery: Enteral Route
377
The enteral drug administration involves three primary routes: oral, sublingual, and buccal. Oral ingestion is the most prevalent, safe, economical, and convenient method for drug administration. However, it has certain drawbacks, including limited absorption due to the drug's low water solubility or poor membrane permeability, possible emesis from GI mucosa irritation, destruction of drugs by digestive enzymes or low gastric pH, and irregular absorption along with food or other drugs.
377