Abstract
The objective of this study was to estimate colon-specific delivery of insulin or anti-ulcerative colitis drugs with chitosan capsules. When insulin was orally co-administered with sodium glycocholate using chitosan capsules, a marked increase in plasma insulin concentrations and a corresponding decrease in plasma glucose levels were observed. On the other hand, when 5-ASA was orally administered using chitosan capsules in TNBS-induced colitis rats, we found better therapeutic effects of 5-ASA than those using 5-ASA CMC suspension. Furthermore, the mucosal tissue concentrations of 5-ASA in the large intestine after oral administration using chitosan capsules was higher than those in CMC suspension. Thus, the chitosan capsules may be useful carriers for the colon-specific delivery of peptides as well as anti-inflammatory drugs.
