Insulin can now be stored without refrigeration
Refrigerating insulin could be a hurdle sometimes. To do away with this need, scientists have developed a thermostable variety of insulin. This eliminates the need of keeping insulin in the refrigerator.
Diabetic patients need to carry insulin along with them wherever they travel. This makes it challenging for them to find a refrigerator to store it. However, researchers said that insulin can now be kept outside the refrigerator as long as a diabetic patient wants with the latest discovery.
The research was led by two scientists of the Bose Institute and the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB) and two others from the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad.
Insulin needs to be stored at 4 degrees Celsius. However, the new variety can withstand a temperature of up to 65 °C.
Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas to allow cells to use glucose. When the body stops producing or using insulin, doctors inject insulin into the body to control the blood sugar.
People with diabetes get insulin into their blood using a needle and syringe, a cartridge system, or pre-filled pen systems. Diabetes is a condition that occurs when the blood sugar level is too high.
