Oral Insulin Made from Lettuce: A Game-Changer in Diabetes Treatment
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a way to harvest insulin grown in lettuce, which can be taken orally and doesn't require painful injections. The plant-based insulin is cheaper, easier to distribute, and contains the missing C-peptide found in natural insulin, making it a better substitute for the real kind. The insulin is protected by the tough plant cell walls, allowing it to travel to the gut and eventually reach the liver. The next step is to trial the plant-based insulin in dogs and then people, potentially making insulin more affordable and accessible for the half a billion people with diabetes worldwide.
