Dose of relief

scientists have developed a new gel that is taken orally, and is capable of delivering drugs without the use of an injection. The gel could become a painless and more efficient way to treat diabetes, ulcerative colitis, bowel cancer, constipation and many other ailments that require local drug delivery. In these conditions, oral administration of medication cannot be easily effective because highly acidic gastric fluid in the stomach contain enzymes that can break down the drug before it reaches the targeted site.

Sunil Bajpai and Seema Dubey from the Polymer Research Laboratory of the Government Model Science College, Jabalpur, have designed their gel such that when it passes through the stomach, it retains majority of the drug by protecting it from the stomach acids. To test the gel, the scientists put vitamin b2 in the gel in place of a drug and studied its releasing capacity by simulating conditions in a human body at a temperature of 37c. The scientists found that at least 56 per cent of the drug is released where it is needed. Moreover, problems caused by other medication, such as sudden increase and subsequent rapid decrease of blood serum concentration, which sometimes reaches a toxic and ineffective level, were also prevented.