Insulin Delivery Systems: Current Topic

Although insulin has been available for the treatment of diabetes mellitus for more than half a centry, the deficiency of conventional insulin therapy for diabetic patients have, to this date, not been satisfactorily overcome by any method. The development of potential delivery systems for insulin is highly important to prevent excessive fluctuation of plasma glucose levels, which results in long term complications in the diabetic. There are three major approaches toward development of glucose responding insulin delivery systems: A bioengineering approach is to devise mechanical components capable of releasing insulin in amounts appropriate to varying blood-glucose requirements. A biological approach relies upon cultured, living pancreatic beta cells encapsulated to constitute an insulin delivery unit. A biochemical approach is to synthesize a stable and biologically active glycosylated insulin that is complementary to the binding sites of lectin. This paper will cover several specific areas, including pancreatic transplantation(total or isolated islet cells), artificial pancreases(bioengineering or biological approach), controlled delivery system, glucose sensitive membrane systems, and a self-regulating insulin delivery system.