Health Issue: Boon And Bane: Studies

Now, an insulin that requires

no refrigeration

Washington: Here's some good news for diabetics. Scientists have created an insulin which they claim can survive warmth and doesn't require to be dept in a fridge.

          Normally, insulin starts to go bad above 4C -- making insulin supply very difficult in areas that don't have refrigeration. Now, an international team, led by Monash University, has successfully strengthened the insulin's chemical structure without affecting its activity and this new insulin doesn't at all require refrigeration.

         At the same time, the team's using their new knowledge to develop a form of insulin that could be delivered by pill. "Like milk, insulin formulations need to be kept cold. At temperatures above 4*C , insulin starts to degrade and it eventually becomes inactive. So supplying insulin in areas where fridges are scarce or difficult to maintain presents a real challenge.

         "The instability of insulin is closely related to its chemical structure. Insulin is constructed from two different protein chains which are joined together by unstable disulfide bonds. Using a series of chemical reactions, we have been able to replace unstable bonds with stronger carbon-based bridges.