Metformin Gum: Chew your way to Diabetes Control?
by: Morgan James
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Word Count: 369
The
proposed gum would be for type 2 diabetes, and would be for patients who are
not insulin dependant. The gum would
deliver metformin to the patient through the lining of their mouth. Metformin
is a traditionally used medication for diabetes. Generex, a biotechnology company, expects this
type of delivery (buccal) to help overcome certain side effects of taking
metformin orally.
companies announced their plans in early June of 2006. Generex has been a market leader for drug
delivery, and Fertin has developed many other gums. Their partnership offers lots of hope for
diabetics currently on medication.
Metformin
is currently taken as a pill. It can be
associated with nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting, among others side
effects. The idea of having metformin
absorbed into the mouth is that it would prevent or minimize these
effects.
is absorbed through a person’s mouth, it is called a buccal delivery because it
enters via the buccal mucosa. Generex
has worked with buccal delivery successfully for other drugs. Generex has developed a type of insulin for
insulin dependent diabetics that is sprayed into the mouth.
is a glucose-reducing drug. It is part
of the biguanides family of drugs, which reduces glucose production in the
liver. One of the brand names of
metformin currently is Glucophage.
Metformin also makes muscle tissue more receptive to insulin.
some of the side effects of metformin (which include vomiting or diarrhea) can
be prevented when the medication is taken with food. With chewing a gum instead of taking a pill,
scientists hope that the delivery will be more efficient and easier to deliver,
which will prevent these gastro-intestinal side effects.
Metformin,
and other medications for non-insulin dependent diabetics, is an important part
of blood sugar control. It helps a
person with diabetes cope with his/her blood sugar, which in turn prevents many
of the complications associated with diabetes.
This proposed drug will offer diabetics more choice and will help them
find the ideal treatment process. We
look forward to hearing more news on these developments!
About the Author
Vivian Brennan is the editor of <a href=“http://www.theguideto-diabetes.com/diabetes_medications/type_2_diabetes_medications/”>The
Guide To Diabetes</a>. To learn more about diabetes medications, for both
type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, visit The Guide to Diabetes today.
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