Authors: Passey, Chaitali; Bhardwaj, Sunny P.; Majumdar, Dipak K.

Source: Current Drug Delivery, Volume 6, Number 2, April 2009 , pp. 166-173(8)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Abstract:

Pulmonary insulin delivery is steadily emerging as a promising solution for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The large as well as thin absorptive area of the lungs has not been explored until now for the treatment of systemic disease like diabetes. With an understanding of the lung anatomy and physiology and the transport mechanism of insulin through lungs, diabetic treatment through the pulmonary route may well become the reality of the 21st century. Though the transport of insulin through the lungs itself appears quite encouraging, potential problems concerning the formulation of a peptide like insulin in the form of an aerosol seem to be the most challenging. Stability aspects, stringent control of Mass Median Aerodynamic Diameter, antigenicity, insulin losses due to the device and impaction, sedimentation and diffusion in the nonabsorptive areas of the airway system (especially in the oropharynx) emerge as major concerns. This is in addition to the problems of lack of reproducibility of dose delivery by an inhaler where individual variations due to inspiratory differences and method of use of device come into play. Lung diseases and smoking may alter lung mechanisms and dose alterations are to be studied in such cases. Though almost equally effective, if not more, than the subcutaneous insulin route, even with proved short-term efficacy, insulin delivery through lungs is a potential but not a wholly proven means for blood glucose control.

Keywords: Insulin; inhalation; DPI; diabetes; Exubera®; lung disease

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2009-04-01

More about this publication?

• The aim of Current Drug Delivery is to publish peer-reviewed articles, short communications, short and in-depth reviews in the rapidly developing field of drug delivery. Modern drug research aims to build in delivery properties of a drug at the design phase, however in many cases this ideal cannot be met and the development of delivery systems becomes as important as the development as the drugs themselves.
  
  The journal aims to cover the latest outstanding developments in drug and vaccine delivery employing physical, physico-chemical and chemical methods. The drugs include a wide range of bioactive compounds from simple pharmaceuticals to peptides, proteins, nucleotides, nucleosides and sugars. The journal will also report progress in the fields of transport routes and mechanisms including efflux proteins and multi-drug resistance.
  
  The journal is essential for all pharmaceutical scientists involved in drug design, development and delivery.

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