5 minute read
son’s Cheek
From the ACS Press Room An Insulin Patch that Sticks Inside a Person’s Cheek
“Photothermal Activatable Mucoadhesive Fiber Mats for On-Demand Delivery of Insulin via Buccal and Corneal Mucosa” ACS Applied Bio Materials
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Managing blood sugar levels requires roundthe-clock attention for people diagnosed with diabetes. A more healthful diet and increased physical activity can help, but many with the condition also need to take regular shots of insulin — the primary hormone that regulates sugar. To deliver this drug in a less invasive way, researchers in ACS Applied Bio Materials now report a prototype insulin-loaded patch that comfortably sticks to the inside of a person’s cheek.
According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 6 million Americans use insulin to help control their diabetes, either because their bodies don’t make the hormone (Type 1) or don’t respond well to what they do make (Type 2). People primarily take insulin by injecting themselves with pens or syringes, or they have semi-permanent pumps implanted. These methods are invasive and uncomfortable, and they require safe needle or biohazard disposal and sterile conditions. Researchers have explored other ways to deliver insulin through the skin, such as gel-like lotions. But the skin is too good of a barrier, and drugs move into the body slowly. In contrast, the membrane lining the inside of the mouth is very thin, about one quarter the thickness of skin, making it a potential place for drugs to easily enter the bloodstream. So, Sabine Szunerits and colleagues wanted to see if a material they had previously developed — a polymer fiber mat that is activated by heat to release drugs — could attach to the cheek’s lining and deliver insulin. The researchers first soaked small squares of a nanofiber mat, made from electrospun fibers of poly(acrylic acid), β-cyclodextrin and reduced graphene oxide, in a solution with insulin for three hours. Then the team applied the insulin-loaded patches onto cheek linings and corneas from pigs. Heating the material with a near-infrared laser for 10 minutes to 122F activated the material and released insulin into the two types of membranes several times faster than through skin. In addition, the researchers placed the patches in vivo inside the cheeks of three insulin-dependent pigs. The cheek linings showed no irritation or visual changes from the laser’s heat. As soon as the material was activated, the pigs’ blood sugar levels declined. Simultaneously, the animals’ plasma insulin levels increased, which the researchers say is proof-of-concept that this preliminary platform is efficient at
getting insulin into the bloodstream. Finally, six human volunteers placed a placebo version of the patch inside their cheeks, saying that it felt comfortable over a twohour period. The researchers say their next step is to conduct further preclinical studies of the prototype on animal models. The authors acknowledge funding from Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) of France, the University of Lille, the i-SITE foundation of the University of Lille, the Hauts-de-France region, the CPER “Photonics for Society” and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions..
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From the ACS Press Room 3D Printers Create Custom Foods
“3D Printed Foods Enter the Kitchen” Chemical & Engineering News
Used primarily to make customized machine parts, medical implants, knickknacks and other plastic objects, 3D printers are now branching out into the kitchen, promising new flavors, shapes and textures that could someday delight the most discriminating foodies. A feature article in Chemical & Engineering News, an independent news outlet of the American Chemical Society, describes how 3D printers are serving up custom edibles. The story was produced in collaboration with ACS Central Science.
3D printers build programmed shapes layerby-layer, depositing materials (usually plastics) through a nozzle onto a surface, writes freelance contributor Alla Katsnelson. In recent years, researchers have been adapting the software and hardware to print foods instead of plastics. They face challenges be-
cause foods’ properties aren’t always linear, and small fluctuations in temperature can completely change how edible ingredients flow. Pastes, such as chocolate frosting or peanut butter, are the easiest to work with, but researchers are also exploring other food materials, including powders, solids, liquids and gels. Customizable cuisine and personalized nutrition are now within reach. For example, researchers at the U.S. Department of Defense’s Combat Feeding Directorate, which develops military rations for the U.S. Armed Forces, are working on 3-D printed nutrient bars tailored to the individual needs of soldiers under different conditions. Meanwhile, researchers at Columbia University have made a slice of cheesecake with an elaborate internal structure that releases flavors in waves. And a company called Redefine Meat is trying to reproduce the structure, texture and flavor of beef steaks by 3D printing plant -based fibers. Within the next 15 years, 3D printers could have a prominent place in the kitchen next to the toaster or microwave, experts say.
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