<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/27684542.cms" /> <keyword id="6354968" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="London">LONDON</keyword>: In a big breakthrough, Indian scientists have done what medical science has been trying to achieve since 1930 – an <keyword id="48003" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="insulin">insulin</keyword> pill for diabetics. 
 Since insulin’s crucial discovery nearly a century ago, countless <keyword id="6359018" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="diabetes">diabetes</keyword> patients have had to inject themselves with the life-saving medicine. 
 
Now Indian scientists have reported a new development toward a long-sought insulin pill that could save millions the pain of daily shots. 
 Published in the <keyword id="73594" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="American-Chemical-Society">American Chemical Society</keyword> journal, the advance could someday not only eliminate the “ouch” factor but also get needle-wary — and weary — patients to take their medicine when they should. 
 
For years, researchers have sought a way to transform delivery of this therapy from a shot to a pill, but it has been a challenge. 
 
The body’s digestive enzymes that are so good at breaking down food also break down insulin before it can get to work. 
 
In addition, insulin doesn’t get easily absorbed through the gut into the bloodstream. 
 
To overcome these hurdles, Sanyog Jain from India’s National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research combined two approaches to shield insulin from the digestive enzymes and then get it into the blood. 
 
They packaged insulin in tiny sacs made of lipids, or fats called liposomes, which are already used in some treatments. Then, they wrapped the liposomes in layers of protective molecules called polyelectrolytes. 
 
To help these “layersomes” get absorbed into the bloodstream, they attached folic acid, a kind of vitamin B that has been shown to help transport liposomes across the intestinal wall into the blood. 
 
In rats, the delivery system lowered blood glucose levels almost as much as injected insulin, though the effects of the “layersomes” lasted longer than that of injected insulin. 
 
Diabetes inhibits the production or use of insulin, which is a hormone that helps blood glucose or blood sugar become absorbed into cells and give them energy. 
 
Diabetes is one of India’s biggest health challenges. By 2030, India’s diabetes burden is expected to cross the 100 million mark, against 87 million estimated earlier. 
 
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body doesn’t make enough insulin, and type 2 diabetes occurs when the body doesn’t make or use insulin very well, causing glucose to remain in the blood, which can lead to serious problems. 
 Libby Dowling, <keyword id="1983423" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="care-advisor">care advisor</keyword> at Diabetes UK, said “Oral insulin could make a big difference to the lives of people with diabetes. Children, elderly people and those with a phobia of needles would benefit particularly if and when insulin capsules become a safe and effective treatment for the condition. Although more research is needed, Diabetes UK would very much like to see insulin capsules one day become a reality.” 
 
She added, “Many people with Type 2 diabetes take diabetes tablets. They are not the same as insulin. As yet insulin cannot be taken in tablet form because it would be broken down in the stomach before it could work. Diabetes tablets work in different ways to lower blood glucose levels – for example by stimulating the pancreas to produce more insulin, or by helping the body to use the insulin that it does produce more effectively”

Indian Scientists Invent Insulin Pills For Diabetics

<ul><li>Incidence of <keyword id="6359018" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="diabetes" source="Orion">diabetes</keyword> was higher in men as compared to women, the report says. </li><li>The major reason behind a massive surge in diabeties patients is an unhealthy lifestyle, which includes lack of physical activity, excessive fast food consumption etc. </li><li>Studies suggest that <keyword id="8763838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Covid-19" source="Orion">Covid-19</keyword> is capable of causing direct damage to the pancreas that could deteriorate sugar levels in known diabetics.</li></ul><keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> has earned the dubious distinction of being the world’s diabetes capital. It ranks second in terms of most diabetics in the world, coming second only to China . While this disease is widely prevalent, its incidence is highest among people aged between 40-60 years, according to a report by Tata 1mg labs. Around 42% aged above 60 years were found to have diabetes out of the total number of samples who tested positive. The incidence slipped to 12.5% for 25-40 year olds. “Diabetes is a leading threat to public health globally, and the view is gloomier for countries like India, where the diabetes burden has risen significantly in recent decades and will continue to rise in the coming decades,” said Dr Prashant Nag, clinical head, Tata 1mg Labs. A total of 536,164 blood samples were tested for diabetes at Tata 1mg labs across the country between March-October 2022. Out of these samples, about 33% were diagnosed as positive for the disease. “As the prevalence of diabetes rises, more young adults and adolescents tend to develop diabetes, particularly if they are overweight/obese,” said Dr Nag. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Men are more diabetic than women" comment="subhead" text="Men are more diabetic than women">Men are more diabetic than women</cmsannotation> The incidence of diabetes is found to be higher in men as compared to women, the report says. Out of the samples tested, 58% were men, while 42% were women. The screening was done through the HbA1c test (or glycosylated hemoglobin test) which tells about the average level of blood sugar over the past two to three months. A value of HbA1c level ≥ 6.5% is considered to be indicative of diabetes. “Not just this, more people are now falling prey to borderline diabetes. It is a condition wherein blood sugar levels are slightly above the normal range, but not high enough to be called diabetes. A report published in 2018 estimated one in every six Indians to have borderline diabetes,” Dr Nag added. The major reason behind a massive surge in diabeties patients is an unhealthy lifestyle, which includes lack of physical activity, excessive fast-food consumption, smoking, and alcohol consumption. ‘’There is no special diet for diabetes; the whole idea is to nourish the body by taking various nutrients in the right proportion and right time. The focus should be on eating lots of seasonal colourful vegetables, consuming healthy fats and adequate protein sources. For carbs, choose a variety of whole grains,” said Chhavi Kohli, chief diabetes educator and nutritionist at Medanta the Medicity, Gurgaon. She further added, “Do not miss fruits, use them as snacks and avoid packaged and processed food items. Also, a lot of myths prevail around the right diet for diabetes. Do not fall prey to misinformation. Always consult certified nutritionists and diabetes educators for your diabetes.” New studies also suggest that Covid-19 is also capable of causing direct damage to the pancreas that could deteriorate sugar levels in known diabetics. It can even induce the onset of diabetes in non-diabetics, Dr Nag explained. Diabetes is a curable disease and can be tackled only with a balanced and healthy diet, an active lifestyle, timely intake of prescribed medications, regular health checkups, and planned doctor visits. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/raavan-was-born-in-delhi-a-little-ahead-of-noida-amish-tripathi/articleshow/95473604.cms">Raavan was born in Delhi, a little ahead of Noida: Amish Tripathi</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/healthy-gut-microbiome-helps-to-improve-cancer-treatment-study/articleshow/95471197.cms">Healthy gut microbiome helps to improve cancer treatment: Study</a>

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Indian Scientists Invent Insulin Pills For Diabetics

Times Of India

One in every six Indians have borderline diabetes says report

Vaamanaa Sethi