Insulin in w/o/w multiple emulsions: biological activity after oral administration in normal and diabetic rats

• Published in: Journal of microencapsulation Vol. 14; no. 3; p. 321
• Main Authors: Cunha, A S, Grossiord, J L, Puisieux, F, Seiller, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 1997
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animals; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body Weight - drug effects; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - drug therapy; Emulsions; Glycosuria - drug therapy; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents - administration & dosage; Hypoglycemic Agents - pharmacology; Injections, Subcutaneous; Insulin - administration & dosage; Insulin - pharmacology; Male; Rats; Rats, Wistar
• DOI: 10.3109/02652049709051136
• ISSN: 0265-2048

In this work the biological effects of two w/o/w multiple emulsions composed of the soybean oil (EHS) or medium-chain triglycerides (ETCM), containing insulin, were studied. The release mechanism of insulin from multiple emulsions proposed in our previous in-vitro investigations was confirmed by subcutaneous administration. This mechanism is the swelling-breakdown phenomenon which occurs when the emulsions are diluted under hypo-osmotic condition. The biological effect after oral administration, evaluated in two experimental protocols, single administration in normal and diabetic rats and short-term treatment in diabetic rats, shows that in diabetic rats small amounts of biologically active insulin were absorbed from these emulsions. In these experiments no significant difference between EHS and ETCM was found.