Various Emerging Trends in Insulin Drug Delivery Systems

Abstract

Lowering of blood glucose level in patients can be achieved by insulin therapy as it plays a key role in the control of hyperglycaemia for type 1 diabetes. Insulin delivery systems that are currently available include syringes, infusion pumps, jet injectors and pens. The tedious part for the type 1 diabetes patients is to tolerate needle after needle injections while undergoing treatment for both glucose measurement and to deliver insulin. A rigorous research effort has been undertaken worldwide to replace the authentic subcutaneous route by a more accurate and non-invasive route. The newer methods explored include the artificial pancreas with closed-loop system, transdermal insulin, and buccal, oral, pulmonary, nasal, ocular and rectal routes. The future trends include use of insulin inhalers, trandermal patches, pills, pumps etc. Some of the non-invasive delivery systems include polymeric hydrogels and insulin loaded bioadhesive poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles for oral delivery, aerosolized liposomes with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine for pulmonary delivery, β cyclodextrins for nasal delivery, microneedle arrays fabricated from hyaluronic acid and iontophoresis for trandermal delivery, chitosan-zinc-insulin complex for the controlled delivery of insulin.