Vibrating capsule for enhancing absorption of ingested medicaments
A system and a method of using a vibrating gastrointestinal capsule in coordination with an ingestible medicament. The vibrating gastrointestinal capsule may include a housing; a vibrating agitation mechanism causing said housing to exert vibrations on an environment surrounding the vibrating gastrointestinal capsule; a power supply for powering said vibrating agitation mechanism; and a control mechanism for activating said vibrating agitation mechanism to operate in said vibration mode of operation, such that the vibration mode of operation at least partially transpires or completely transpires within an actual or estimated absorption time period of the ingestible medicament within the gastrointestinal tract of the subject.
1 . A kit for promoting absorption of an ingested medicament into the bloodstream of a subject, the kit comprising:
a medicament to be ingested, said medicament being absorbable within a target region of the gastrointestinal tract, the target region being selected from the group consisting of the stomach, the small intestine, and the large intestine; and
a vibrating ingestible capsule including:
a housing;
a vibrating agitation mechanism having a rest mode of operation and a vibration mode of operation, and adapted such that, in said vibration mode of operation, said housing exerts vibrations on an environment surrounding said vibrating gastrointestinal capsule, wherein, in said vibration mode of operation, said vibrating agitation mechanism is configured to exert said forces on said housing to attain a vibrational frequency within a range of 100 Hz to 500 Hz;
a power supply disposed within said housing and adapted to power said vibrating agitation mechanism; and
a control mechanism adapted to activate said vibrating agitation mechanism to be operative in said vibration mode of operation, said control mechanism configured to control a timing or activation delay of said vibration mode of operation such that, when the vibrating ingestible capsule is ingested by the subject, a first occurrence of said vibration mode of operation at least partially transpires in said target region of the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, within at least one of an estimated absorption time period and an actual absorption time period of said ingested medicament within said target region, so as to increase absorption of said ingested medicament into the bloodstream of the subject.
2 . The kit of claim 1 , wherein operation of said vibrating agitation mechanism in said vibration mode of operation maintains the integrity of said housing.
3 . The kit of claim 1 , wherein operation of said vibrating agitation mechanism in said vibration mode of operation maintains the integrity of said vibrating ingestible capsule.
4 . The kit of claim 1 , wherein said control mechanism is further adapted to control the timing of said vibration mode of operation such that a second occurrence of said vibration mode of operation transpires while said capsule is within at least one of the large intestine and the colon of the subject.
5 . The kit of claim 4 , wherein said control mechanism is further adapted to control the timing of said vibration mode of operation such that between said first and said second occurrences of said vibration mode of operation, said vibration agitation mechanism is in the rest mode of operation.
6 . The kit of claim 1 , wherein said vibrating ingestible capsule is devoid of a chamber for containing said medicament to be ingested.
7 . The kit of claim 1 , wherein said target region is the stomach, and wherein said control mechanism is adapted to activate said vibrating agitation mechanism such that said first occurrence of said vibration mode of operation at least partially transpires in the stomach.
8 . The kit of claim 1 , wherein said target region is in the small intestine, and wherein said control mechanism is adapted to activate said vibrating agitation mechanism such that said first occurrence of said vibration mode of operation at least partially transpires in the small intestine.
9 . The kit of claim 1 , wherein said vibrating agitation mechanism is adapted to be in said rest mode of operation prior to said first occurrence of said vibration mode of operation.
10 . The kit of claim 1 , wherein, in said vibrating mode of operation, said vibrating agitation mechanism is adapted to have a plurality of vibration cycles, where each cycle includes a vibration duration followed by a repose duration.
11 . The kit of claim 1 , wherein the medicament to be ingested is physically separate from the vibrating ingestible capsule.
12 . A method of using the kit of claim 1 , by a subject, the method comprising:
a. ingesting said medicament to be ingested; and
b. ingesting said vibrating ingestible capsule,
wherein the control mechanism of the vibrating ingestible capsule activates said vibrating agitation mechanism to be operative in said vibration mode of operation such that the first occurrence of said vibration mode of operation at least partially transpires in said target region, within the at least one of an estimated absorption time period and an actual absorption time period of said medicament within said target region, thereby to increase absorption of the medicament into the bloodstream of the subject.
13 . A kit for promoting absorption of an ingested medicament into the bloodstream of a subject, the kit comprising:
a medicament to be ingested, said medicament being absorbable within a target region of the gastrointestinal tract, the target region being selected from the group consisting of the stomach, the small intestine, and the large intestine; and
a vibrating ingestible capsule, physically separate from said medicament to be ingested, said vibrating ingestible capsule including:
a housing;
a vibrating agitation mechanism having a rest mode of operation and a vibration mode of operation, and adapted such that, in said vibration mode of operation, said housing exerts vibrations on an environment surrounding said vibrating gastrointestinal capsule, wherein, in said vibration mode of operation, said vibrating agitation mechanism is configured to exert said forces on said housing to attain a vibrational frequency within a range of 100 Hz to 500 Hz;
a power supply disposed within said housing and adapted to power said vibrating agitation mechanism; and
a control mechanism adapted to activate said vibrating agitation mechanism to be operative in said vibration mode of operation, said control mechanism configured to control a timing or activation delay of said vibration mode of operation such that, when the vibrating ingestible capsule is ingested by the subject, a first occurrence of said vibration mode of operation at least partially transpires in said target region of the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, within at least one of an estimated absorption time period and an actual absorption time period of said ingested medicament within said target region, so as to increase absorption of said ingested medicament into the bloodstream of the subject,
wherein said vibrating agitation mechanism is adapted to be in said rest mode of operation prior to said first occurrence of said vibration mode of operation.