Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello,

I am doing "Why Aren't All Medicines Pills?" for my science fair project. I researched the relationships between diabetes, insulin and gelatin but couldn't find any answers. Is there a specific reason why gelatin could be used for this experiment? Are there any alternatives that could be more accurate?

As well, what could be a more original title for this project? Does it have to be in the form of a hypothesis?

Thank you so much :)

Hi,

I'm not an expert or anything but I actually asked a question very similar to yours in the grade 6-8 forum and received a reply.

Here is the link: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=15403

Basically, insulin and gelatin are both proteins, and proteins are usually composed of the same stuff. You can do some more research on proteins with the links in that reply.

Hope this helps!

Hi,

The idea of this project is to get you thinking about different forms of medicine and why they might be made that way. It has to do with what the medicine is. Insulin is a protein and protein digestion begins in the stomach, so taking insulin in a gelatin capsule that dissolves in the stomach would destroy the insulin. For diabetics, it is necessary to get the insulin into the bloodstream intact and quickly. That is why it is injected.

Drug makers have been trying to develop an insulin pill for years--but without much success. There have been some promising results for sublingual insulin preparations--a thin film that you hold under your tongue till it dissolves: http://investorintel.com/biotech-intel/ ... diabetics/

There are actually some interesting results with an insulin nasal spray, but for treating Alzheimer's disease not diabetes: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 141315.htm

As to coming up with a different title for your project, the title does not have to be in the form of a hypothesis but it should be accurate as well as catchy. "Why aren't all medicines pills?" is pretty good. If i had to think of another--

No more needles! Why can't we eat our drugs?

Don't like shots? Sublingual may be the way to go.

The nose knows--drug sprays in place of shots.


Hope this helps.

Sybee