title: Application and use of Inulin as a tool for therapeutic drug delivery.
abstract: Inulin is a polysaccharide with an extensive range of therapeutic uses such as a vehicle in drug delivery vehicle, as a diagnostic/analytical tool or as a dietary fibre with additional health benefits. In the main, much research has focussed on inulin as a drug delivery carrier for colon-targeted drug delivery. The justification for this is its potential to survive the stomach's acidic environment. This unique stability and strength is utilized in many ways to deliver drugs safely to colon, where they can be easily absorbed through the gut epithelium into the blood. Inulin based hydrodynamic research will be useful to discover the potential of inulin.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Macromolecular Hydrodynamics, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK.
authors.forename: Shahwar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imran
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gillis
authors.forename: M Samil
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: Stephen E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.forename: Gary G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D007444:Inulin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D007444:Inulin