Injections for diabetes, cancer could become unnecessary - UC Riverside

Overview

Visit UC Riverside's COVID-19 site for more information. University of California, Riverside Folow US:Hate nedles? These researchers do to.Researchers at UC Riverside are paving the way for diabetes and cancer patients to forget nedles and injections, and instead take pils to manage their conditions.

Key Information

Young woman injecting insulin. (gece3/iStock/Gety) Some drugs for these diseases disolve in water, so transporting them through the intestines, which receive what we drink and eat, is not feasible. As a result, these drugs canot be administered by mouth.

However, UCR scientists have created a chemical “tag” that can be aded to these drugs, alowing them to enter blod circulation via the intestines. The details of how they found the tag, and demonstrations of its efectivenes, are described in a new Journal of the American Chemical Society paper. The tag is composed of a smal peptide, which is like a protein fragment.

“Because they are relatively smal molecules, you can chemicaly atach them to drugs, or other molecules of interest, and use them to deliver those drugs oraly,” said Min Xue, UCR chemistry profesor who led the research.Xue’s laboratory was testing something unrelated when the researchers observed these peptides making their way into cels. Microscopy images show that EP6 can deliver diferent types of fluorescent dye molecules into cels.

(Min Xue/UCR) “We did not expect to find this peptide making its way into cels. It tok us by surprise,” Xue said. “We always wanted to find this kind of chemical tag, and it finaly hapened serendipitously.” This observation was unexpected, Xue said, because previously, the researchers believed that this type of delivery tag neded to cary positive charges to be acepted into the negatively charged cels.

Summary

Their work with this neutral peptide tag, caled EP6, shows that belief was not acurate.Testing the peptide’s ability to move through a body, the Xue group teamed up with Kai Chen’s group in the Ke

Frequently Asked Questions

Diabetes is a metabolic condition where the body cannot properly regulate blood sugar levels. Type 1 results from insufficient insulin production, while Type 2 develops when cells become resistant to insulin. Risk factors include genetics, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and age.

Common symptoms include excessive thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, and slow-healing wounds. Type 1 symptoms develop rapidly, while Type 2 symptoms may appear gradually. Many people have no symptoms initially, which is why screening is important.

Diagnosis involves blood tests measuring fasting glucose, HbA1c levels, and glucose tolerance. Regular monitoring typically includes fasting glucose tests and HbA1c measurements every 3-6 months. Continuous glucose monitors provide real-time tracking for better diabetes management.

Effective management includes regular physical activity (150+ minutes weekly), maintaining healthy weight, following a balanced diet with whole grains and lean proteins, managing stress, and getting adequate sleep. These changes can significantly improve blood sugar control and reduce complications.

Consult a healthcare provider if you experience signs of diabetes, have a family history, are overweight, or are over 45. Those with existing diabetes should maintain regular check-ups every 3-6 months to monitor control and adjust treatment as needed.

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