Researchers have developed a plant-based insulin that can regulate blood sugar levels in diabetics.
- Researchers have developed a plant-based insulin that is taken orally.
- Mice treated with had their blood sugar levels regulated within 15 minutes of ingestion in a manner very similar to naturally secreted insulin.
- For researchers, herbal medicines offer the advantage of having lower production and storage costs.
Worldwide, more than 537 million adults are affected by diabetes, and for many, injectable insulin is the only treatment that can prevent serious complications. However, this method has its drawbacks, including risks of hypoglycemia. To solve this problem, researcher Henry Daniell and his team created an oral herbal insulin.
Diabetes: a pill insulin made from lettuce
To develop this oral treatment, the researchers first identified the human insulin genes. They then transferred them into the genome of a lettuce using a “gene gun”. The seeds of this modified plant retained the insulin genes. Lettuces grown with these seeds were subsequently freeze-dried, ground and prepared as oral tablets. The latter have been developed to break down only on contact with intestinal microbes, thus making it possible to deliver insulin to the liver via the intestine-liver axis.
These tablets have been tested on diabetic mice. Scientists have found that plant insulin regulates blood sugar levels within 15 minutes of ingestion in a very similar way to naturally secreted insulin. In comparison, rodents treated with traditional insulin injections experienced a rapid decrease in blood sugar, leading to transient hypoglycemia.
“The risk of hypoglycemia is one of the biggest drawbacks of the current delivery system and can even lead to coma. Our insulin, which is administered orally, contains all three peptides found in natural insulin (Clinical insulin lacks one, editor’s note) and is delivered directly to the liver. It works just like natural insulin, minimizing the risk of hypoglycemia.”assures Henry Daniell in a communicated.
Herbal and oral insulin: a simpler treatment to administer
Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide and is responsible for millions of deaths each year. Diabetic patients need to control their blood sugar levels to avoid complications such as diabetic retinopathy, kidney failure and cardiovascular disease. However, the high cost of insulin and the need for expensive devices such as insulin pumps have limited access to care for many patients. For Henry Daniell and his team, herbal treatments could facilitate their management thanks to lower manufacturing and storage costs.
“With the delivery of herbal medicines, we are changing the whole paradigm, not just for insulin”says Henry Daniell. “I grew up in a developing country and saw people die because they couldn’t afford medicines or vaccines. For me, affordability and global access to care are the foundation of my work. And in this case, we are making insulin more affordable while dramatically improving it. Patients can get a higher quality drug at a lower cost.”concludes the expert.
Dr. Daniell’s work has been published in the July 2023 issue of the journal Biomaterials.
