GS Paper - III

A team of researchers has developed ingestible capsules that release a burst of drugs directly inside the stomach or other parts of the digestive system. These capsules can offer an alternative method to deliver drugs such as insulin that, thus far, are typically administered via injections.

To develop them, the researchers took inspiration from the way cephalopods like squids and cuttlefish use jet propulsion mechanisms to move underwater, and shoot ink. The research has been carried out by scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk.

Why are these capsules significant?

• Injections are used to administer hormones, vaccines, antibodies, or cancer treatments. They are used instead of a pill as these drugs are usually made of larger biological molecules.
• Once swallowed, large molecules are often quickly destroyed by digestive enzymes or the liver, limiting their efficacy and increasing the likelihood of potential side effects, according to a report in Singularity Hub, a science and tech media website.
• Despite this advantage, scientists have been trying to find an alternative to injections for a long time.
• That is because injections can lead to infection, skin irritation, and other side effects.
• They can also cause discomfort to patients. Pills, on the other hand, are much easier to take compared to injections.

How were the capsules developed?

• The researchers looked at cephalopods such as squids and octopi to develop the capsules. These animals can adjust the pressure and direction of their ink jets.
• The researchers used the same idea to distribute drugs in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, according to the Singularity Hub report.
• By jetting medication directly into tissue, they could ensure that more medication is absorbed before the body breaks it down.
• The researchers mimicked the jetting action of squids and octopi in two ways. They “compressed carbon dioxide or tightly coiled springs to generate the force needed to propel liquid drugs out of the capsule.
• The gas or spring is kept in a compressed state by a carbohydrate trigger, which is designed to dissolve when exposed to humidity or an acidic environment such as the stomach.
• When the trigger dissolves, the gas or spring is allowed to expand, propelling a jet of drugs out of the capsule, according to the MIT News report.