Title: Inhaled insulin: current steps towards diabetes treatment

Authors: Priya Patel; Bhavisha Kacha

Addresses: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saurashtra University, Rajkot-360005, Gujarat, India ' Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saurashtra University, Rajkot-360005, Gujarat, India

Abstract: Diabetes mellitus is among the most serious health challenges worldwide. Diabetes is a chronic condition that develops when the pancreas fails to adequately make or utilise insulin. 537 million individuals worldwide have diabetes, and in 2021, 6.7 million people will die from the diabetes. There are 90 million adult diabetics in India, and the disease claims 747 thousand lives per year. The act of taking in air and occasionally other substances into your lungs is known as inhalation. Common types of inhalers include nebulisers, dry powder inhalers, soft mist inhalers, and meter-dose inhalers. The body responds quickly and easily to inhalation therapy. The bloodstream is affected directly by the lung, and given its accessibility and extensive alveolar-capillary network for drug absorption, inhalational insulin is a desirable alternative to systemic administration of the hormone. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially approved the inhaled insulin Afrezza. In comparison to other unsuccessful inhaled insulin forms, this new, faster-acting inhalable insulin has a different and safer pharmacokinetic profile.

Keywords: diabetes; inhalation; insulin; nanotechnology; future prospects; recent advances.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNBM.2024.137687

International Journal of Nano and Biomaterials, 2024 Vol.10 No.3, pp.171 - 188

Received: 09 Jan 2023
Accepted: 25 Aug 2023
Published online: 02 Apr 2024 *

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