Managing a complicated medication schedules could soon become as simple as taking a single pill. One single capsule every day. In fact, a group of engineers at have created a new kind of capsule. In fact, it is able to hold multiple medications and release them at specific times throughout a 24 hour period.
The data was released in Matter. The goal was to improve proper medication adherence . First of all, proper medication management will create better health outcomes. Obviously, eliminating the need for patients to remember taking a bunch of pills and certain times. This problem has been known to be solved with the Med-Q digital pill dispenser with alarms. Taking multiple drugs or doses at various times, each day ‘easy. Finally, new pill types should lower the chances of of missed doses or l overdoses.
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“We want to simplify medication management with a single capsule that is smart enough to deliver the right drug at the right dose at the right time,” said study first author Amal Abbas said.. She is the studies “first Author”. She was the leader of a group of scientist. First there was Joseph Wang. He is currently a professor in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering at UC San Diego.
Seeing its potential benefits to patients as well as their caregivers
Inside each of the individual capsule, there are different medications packed in separate compartments inside the pills. hence, designed to release its dose at the chosen time. First of all, the medications are separated with tiny barriers are constructed with a lactose and maltose matrix micro polymer. The specially designed polymer has unique properties. For example, the polymers will actually shield the prescription medication from stomach acid. Finally, it will still dissolve in an alkaline environment, unlike the stomach.
Medications in the capsules are separated by pH-responsive polymer barriers (white) that can be tuned to release each drug or dose at different times. how cases capsules without medications (left) and those packed with medications By adjusting the density of this polymer, researchers can control how long it takes for each barrier to dissolve, ensuring that medications are released at precisely timed intervals.
The Timing factor isn’t the capsule’s only smart design
The researchers didn’t stop there. The were able to incorporate microscopic magnesium particles. This nano particle will act like ” tiny stirrers” inside the body. The stirrers will then try to y react with stomach acid to create a tiny stream of hydrogen bubbles. Furthermore, the bubble will then stir up the pills contents. Remarkably, this will make the drug easier to dissolve in the users stomach. A perfect aid for those who need rapid uptake. For example, pain relievers, cardiovascular drugs as well as all kinds of emergency treatments.
“This innovative daily capsule approach ensures day-long full compliance towards improved patient outcomes,” said Wang. Wang’s research group has pioneered the use of micro sized particles such as these—which they’ve dubbed microrobots—for therapeutic purposes. They were the first to translate microrobots into living animal models, demonstrating their potential in treating a range of conditions, including lung infections and diseases that require intensive care. Their experience with microrobots laid the foundation for incorporating similar technology into the timed-release capsule.
All materials used to make the capsule have been approved by the FDA
As a proof of concept, the researchers packed a capsule with three doses of levodopa, a medication for Parkinson’s disease. Each dose was color-coded with food dye—yellow, green and red—to visually track its release in simulated stomach conditions. The first dose, which was housed in a compartment containing magnesium stirrers, was designed for rapid release. The second and third doses, housed in compartments without the stirrers, were released at intermediate and slow rates, respectively. The experiment successfully demonstrated that the capsule could deliver drugs in distinct phases.
