Better than a spoonful of sugar
by Rebecca Gill
Despite
advances in the development of drugs, the task of getting them into the
human body remains a major challenge to modern medicine.
Taking drugs orally – the most commonly used and accepted method of administration – does not work well for some drugs. Other forms of delivery present their own problems: nasal sprays and skin patches are often ineffective, people wince at the thought of injections, and there are forms of insertion that many people refuse to even speak of.
In response to this problem, researchers from UniSA's Sansom Institute have developed a highly practical and effective way to self-administer medication – and it is as simple as a small adhesive patch that sticks to the inside of the mouth.
The patch releases the drug into the body through the mouth's mucosal tissue. Medicines absorbed through the buccal membrane have direct access to the bloodstream, making this a highly effective administration route.
"Many drugs taken orally are degraded before they reach the bloodstream, either in the stomach's acidic environment or during their first passage through the liver. This means that only a small percentage of the ingested drug may reach the bloodstream intact," said UniSA PhD candidate and researcher Steven Edgecombe.
While one benefit of the patches is their non-invasive practicality, Edgecombe said they have many more novel advantages.
"It will be handy in any situation where a small amount of a potent drug is needed but intravenous administration isn't practical. For instance, it will be good for migraine sufferers, because the stomach often shuts down," he said.
The patches will also be especially valuable for treating nausea.
"The most common way of treating nausea is to swallow an anti-nausea tablet, but if people aren't holding any food down, then it's unlikely much will be absorbed into the bloodstream."
The patches are also good for patients who have fallen unconscious, as there is no need to swallow. Another possible application could be for diabetes treatment.
"Currently, compliance with insulin therapy is a big challenge due to the pain and inconvenience associated with injecting, so this product could revolutionise diabetes treatment," Edgecombe said.
The director of the innovative research area, Professor Allan Evans, added:
"We believe we have designed a delivery system that is eminently manufacturable, and so there should be a real future for this product in the market."