Dose of custom medicines

2001/05/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

Scientists have found ways to give the body the precise dose of medicine. The idea was from researcher Marc Madou, dedicated to the study of materials at the Ohio State University in the United States. It is a small capsule the size of the match that, introduced into the body, detects the level of a certain substance and releases the necessary dose of medication. It is attached to a conductive plastic structure and the electric current runs through the plastic. The next step is to devise a biosensor that detects some external substance in the capsule, such as sugar.

A prototype sensor based on a protein that is associated with sugar molecules is currently being developed. According to inventors, this new technology is perfect for successively releasing specific doses (for example, insulin doses that diabetics need). However, the main goal is to use the melatonin needed to regulate astronauts' sleep.