3 - Oral insulin delivery – challenges and strategies

Abstract

The conventional and current mode of administration of insulin frequently relies on subcutaneous injection. Though the oral route is the most preferred mode of delivery, insulin cannot be administered orally due to enzymatic and chemical barriers in the stomach, degradation by proteolytic enzymes in the intestine, and poor permeability across the intestinal epithelium. Researchers have developed a number of innovative strategies, such as the use of mucoadhesives, niosomes, etc., to develop a successful oral delivery system for insulin. This chapter reviews some of the most promising techniques currently developed for oral delivery of insulin for the treatment of diabetes that requires frequent injections of insulin.