MIT engineers have developed an ingestible capsule, called FLASH (Fluid-wicking Active Stimulation and Hormone Modulation), that can stimulate the hormone ghrelin using an electrical current. The capsule, whose surface is inspired by the ridged scales of the Australian thorny devil lizard, causes endocrine cells that are part of the enteric nervous system to produce ghrelin, which plays a key role in stimulating appetite. The technology could treat nausea and loss of appetite associated with conditions like anorexia or cachexia and expands possibilities for electroceuticals for gastrointestinal, neuropsychiatric, and metabolic disorders. If clinical trials produce positive results, the capsule could potentially complement or even replace existing drugs that stimulate appetite and prevent nausea in patients with cachexia and anorexia.
