Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder which is the most alarming
disease of the modern era, which occurs as a result of lack of insulin secretion or
reduced insulin secretion or peripheral insulin resistance. Owing to the lifestyle
changes, food habitus and stress, it has now become a pandemic. The incidence of
diabetes is rapidly increasing worldwide at a dangerous rate. Over the past 30 years, the
status of diabetes has changed from being considered as a mild disorder of the elderly
to one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality, affecting the youth and middleaged
people. As per the WHO, 171 million cases were reported in 2000 and are
expected to increase to 366 million by 2030. DM incidences continuous to rise and
pose a serious threat to human health. DM prevalence is increasing due to lifestyle,
ethnicity, and age. Insulin has remained the main treatment for Type 1 diabetes and
many Type 2 diabetic patients since its discovery, through parenteral insulin
administration. Nanoparticles (NPs), which are minute structures ranging from size 1 to
100nm, are being studied for the treatment of various diseases. Considering the
versatility of NPs, it also gives hope for better treatment options in diabetes. Different
strategies have been used to manipulate insulin by using NPs, such as encapsulated
delivery, etc. The objective of this chapter is to resolve the issues concerned with the
oral delivery of insulin and also to discuss possible routes for the administration and
the use of NPs for the best delivery of insulin. Nanotechnology, as a promising field,
has opened new ways for the treatment of DM.
Keywords: Diabetes, Nanoparticles, Nanomedicine, Oral therapy, Oral drug
delivery.
