/-/https/www.sciencebuddies.org/cdn/Files/21464/5/sb-logo.png){kind=logo}
/-/https/www.sciencebuddies.org/cdn/Files/21464/5/sb-logo.png){kind=logo}
Thank You!!!
HELP needed!
-
ijoo
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:24 am
HELP needed!
Due to some complications on my previously thought research project, I had to change my topic. I've now decided to conduct a research by using fruit flies. So basically, in my project, i will use fruit flies to serve as indicators of a drug's effect. For example, fruit flies being able to grow in high sugar diet in the presence of a particular drug. But the problem is that i don't know how to use a certain drug to affect the growth of the fruit fly. In other words, how to "feed" the fruit flies with a certain drug and see its effects? I've thought of crushing or mixing the drug on the fruit fly food (formula 4-24, instant Drosophila medium), but i'm not sure if this would be effective.
Thank You!!!
Thank You!!!
-
MelissaB
- Moderator
- Posts: 1055
- Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 11:47 am
Ijoo,
What drug were you planning on studying? Any drug that you were planning to mix with fruit fly food would need several things:
1. The drug would have to work if crushed (some pills specifically say 'do not crush or chew' on them, and these would be unsuitable).
2. The drug would have to be the kind you normally ingest (like a pill)--i.e. something that's formulated to be taken up by the digestive system.
3. The drug would have to be stable in fruit fly food...i.e. it would have to not react with anything already in the food.
Post back with both the drug (or drugs) that you had in mind and the ingredients of the fruit fly food if you know them. Don't misunderstand me--I think this research project is likely to work as long as you spend some time thinking about how you're going to measure growth. It's just that if you make sure the three things above are true, you'll be able to say with more confidence that the Drosophila were dosed with the drug.
What drug were you planning on studying? Any drug that you were planning to mix with fruit fly food would need several things:
1. The drug would have to work if crushed (some pills specifically say 'do not crush or chew' on them, and these would be unsuitable).
2. The drug would have to be the kind you normally ingest (like a pill)--i.e. something that's formulated to be taken up by the digestive system.
3. The drug would have to be stable in fruit fly food...i.e. it would have to not react with anything already in the food.
Post back with both the drug (or drugs) that you had in mind and the ingredients of the fruit fly food if you know them. Don't misunderstand me--I think this research project is likely to work as long as you spend some time thinking about how you're going to measure growth. It's just that if you make sure the three things above are true, you'll be able to say with more confidence that the Drosophila were dosed with the drug.
-
kathrynshewey
- Former Expert
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2006 5:31 am
Reply: Fruit Fly Experiment
Hi,
This seems like a great project for you to try. You are on the right track thinking about the many variables that you will encounter. I would suggest making sure the medicine you are going to be studying (I'm not sure which one) can be administered crushed or broken ~ some drugs do not have the same effect when crushed or broken and can only be taken whole. If the medicine can be diluted and will still be affective you may try that and disolving it in the fruit fly's food/water. Good luck with your project!
This seems like a great project for you to try. You are on the right track thinking about the many variables that you will encounter. I would suggest making sure the medicine you are going to be studying (I'm not sure which one) can be administered crushed or broken ~ some drugs do not have the same effect when crushed or broken and can only be taken whole. If the medicine can be diluted and will still be affective you may try that and disolving it in the fruit fly's food/water. Good luck with your project!
-
ijoo
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:24 am
Thank you for your help!
I'll be more specific about the type of drug; i will be using for my project.
I was thinking of using Avandaryl, Januvia, Metformin(type 2 diabetes drugs); mostly because i could order them online. I'm not sure though how to check if they will still be effective after i crush them. I was wondering if liquid solution medicines such as Riomet(link:http://www.riomet.com/?gclid=CJH92cay7okCFQbmYAodC3_1Fw) would be more effective because the medium I'll be preparing is mixed with water and yeast and then put into a vial. I'm not sure though that this mixture will be effective because it will contain the medium, water, drug solution, yeast and sugar(used to increase blood sugar level in blood to see if drug works). I think it wouldn't. Any advice?
PS: if there are any other suggestions about different kinds of drugs i could use other than type 2diabetes would be greatly appreciated! :]
Thank you very much for your help again!!
I'll be more specific about the type of drug; i will be using for my project.
I was thinking of using Avandaryl, Januvia, Metformin(type 2 diabetes drugs); mostly because i could order them online. I'm not sure though how to check if they will still be effective after i crush them. I was wondering if liquid solution medicines such as Riomet(link:http://www.riomet.com/?gclid=CJH92cay7okCFQbmYAodC3_1Fw) would be more effective because the medium I'll be preparing is mixed with water and yeast and then put into a vial. I'm not sure though that this mixture will be effective because it will contain the medium, water, drug solution, yeast and sugar(used to increase blood sugar level in blood to see if drug works). I think it wouldn't. Any advice?
PS: if there are any other suggestions about different kinds of drugs i could use other than type 2diabetes would be greatly appreciated! :]
Thank you very much for your help again!!
-
MelissaB
- Moderator
- Posts: 1055
- Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 11:47 am
I know what Metformin is, I take it myself 
. If you make sure you get the non-extended release version, it should be fine to crush and mix in with your fly food. The extended release version would not be okay. I would -assume- that both of the other pills would be okay assuming you avoided any extended release versions. A way to find out would be to call your local pharmacist; they'll know if the pills can normally be crushed or not.
I hadn't ever seen Riomet before. Because of the way Metformin is believed to act, I think it would be fine to mix it with fly food--it doesn't do anything to the sugar itself, but rather alters the body's ability to process sugar.
Just to be sure, you do realize that even ordering off of the web that you'll need a prescription for these medications, right?
. If you make sure you get the non-extended release version, it should be fine to crush and mix in with your fly food. The extended release version would not be okay. I would -assume- that both of the other pills would be okay assuming you avoided any extended release versions. A way to find out would be to call your local pharmacist; they'll know if the pills can normally be crushed or not. I hadn't ever seen Riomet before. Because of the way Metformin is believed to act, I think it would be fine to mix it with fly food--it doesn't do anything to the sugar itself, but rather alters the body's ability to process sugar.
Just to be sure, you do realize that even ordering off of the web that you'll need a prescription for these medications, right?
-
ijoo
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:24 am
i mean...ijoo wrote:I'm not having troubles in finding type 2 diabetes drugs such as Metformin.. are there any recommended ways i could get the drugs or any other drug i could use in this experiment?? ASAP! please?
i would really appreciate it!
Thank You!
i'm NOW having troubles in finding type 2 diabetes drugs.
-
MelissaB
- Moderator
- Posts: 1055
- Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 11:47 am
ijoo,
Unfortunately, as I alluded to in my earlier post, you need a prescription for type II diabetes drugs--so no, there's no way to get them without that.
What you can use is over-the-counter drugs. You could look at the difference between various pain relievers (again, be careful to not get any tablets that say 'do not crush or chew'), or various decongestants, or various antiacids--or even compare different types of medication. These you can have your parents buy at a local drugstore.
Unfortunately, as I alluded to in my earlier post, you need a prescription for type II diabetes drugs--so no, there's no way to get them without that.
What you can use is over-the-counter drugs. You could look at the difference between various pain relievers (again, be careful to not get any tablets that say 'do not crush or chew'), or various decongestants, or various antiacids--or even compare different types of medication. These you can have your parents buy at a local drugstore.
-
ijoo
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:24 am
-
MelissaB
- Moderator
- Posts: 1055
- Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 11:47 am
-
ijoo
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:24 am
ohh thank you for the reply!
but the problem would be... if i use any over the counter the fruit flies would probably all die because they do not have "pain, cold, fever" or any of the symptoms that over the counter drugs have. For diabetes drugs, i could use sugar so that the fruit flies may have a high sugar diet and see if the diabetes drugs which control the sugar level works best. So i'm pretty much stuck at this point...I have all my materials and i'm ready to start but the drug part is giving me a problem.
but the problem would be... if i use any over the counter the fruit flies would probably all die because they do not have "pain, cold, fever" or any of the symptoms that over the counter drugs have. For diabetes drugs, i could use sugar so that the fruit flies may have a high sugar diet and see if the diabetes drugs which control the sugar level works best. So i'm pretty much stuck at this point...I have all my materials and i'm ready to start but the drug part is giving me a problem.
-
MelissaB
- Moderator
- Posts: 1055
- Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 11:47 am
Ah-ha. I see. Well, there are several 'herbal remedies' that people with my condition (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome--a precursor to diabetes, and an extremely common ailment in women) take. I know for certain that cinnamon is supposed to decrease insulin resistance, and it's suggested we have one teaspoon twice per day. Ground cinnamon would be pretty easy to add to fly food!
There are also a number of over the counter 'herbal remedies' that claim to reduce insulin resistance. Just put 'insulin resistance + herbal remedy' into Google. Also 'diabetes + herbal remedy'. Keep in mind, though, that they may be pretty expensive and may not actually work. However, they're at least legal for you to order.
If you do do the experiment the way you say, be sure that you have at least one tube of flies with excess sugar and no medicine, and a tube with no excess sugar and no medicine to serve as controls. Depending on what sort of resources you have, I'd suggest having several tubes of each.
There are also a number of over the counter 'herbal remedies' that claim to reduce insulin resistance. Just put 'insulin resistance + herbal remedy' into Google. Also 'diabetes + herbal remedy'. Keep in mind, though, that they may be pretty expensive and may not actually work. However, they're at least legal for you to order.
If you do do the experiment the way you say, be sure that you have at least one tube of flies with excess sugar and no medicine, and a tube with no excess sugar and no medicine to serve as controls. Depending on what sort of resources you have, I'd suggest having several tubes of each.