Imagine being able to deliver a medication to the exact spot in the body where it could do the most good. Such a delivery system already exists and it is also used to help scientists study the effects of new medications to targeted areas in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Called remote controlled capsules (RCCs), these tiny devices consist of a drug reservoir and a mechanism to release the medication. RCCs are known as “site specific” meaning that the capsule’s movements can be precisely controlled from outside the body to ensure that the medication reaches a specific location. Using these devices, researchers are able to study how medications are broken down and absorbed in the GI tract. This information helps pharmaceutical scientists gather data for oral drug formulations.

In case the concept of remotely controlling the delivery of medication in the GI tract doesn’t seem like science fiction to you, research on the best way to discharge the medication once it arrives might make you shake your head in wonder and amazement.

One of the most recent methods reported  in the journal Sensors and Actuators (a journal devoted to materials research) is the use of a micro-fabricated thruster that houses a detonating agent and a propellant – in other words this is a microscopic-sized rocket. The thruster produced enough force to completely and rapidly expel the contents of the drug reservoir.

Other novel methods of releasing the medication from RCCs use high frequency energy waves. In this example, researchers used a capsule consisting of a drug reservoir, a high frequency receiver, a gas generating reactor and a piston to pump the medication out of the reservoir.

Another experimental method to discharge medication used rotating magnetic spheres approximately 5 mm round located inside a capsule. The magnetism generated enough heat to theoretically release drugs in the GI tract.

Does delivering a medication in this new way actually make a difference in how the medication works in the body? Possibly. It used to be that medications needed to be taken multiple times throughout the day because there was no way to delay the breakdown of medication in the GI tract – in other words there was no way to control the rate at which the medication was absorbed in the system. Today however, we have controlled release, sustained release, and long-acting formulations. This allows a more steady-state dose to be achieved in the body which can lead to better blood pressure control or pain relief or relief from acid indigestion just to name a few.

Hopefully, novel ways to administer medication will help improve treatments related to cancer as well as improve treatments for disorders of the endocrine, cardiovascular, neurological and GI  systems.

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