Bioelectronic medicine involves using tiny implanted devices to treat diseases by modulating neural signals between organs. It works by transmitting electrical impulses along nerve fibers unlike drugs which act through molecular mechanisms. Advantages include targeted treatment with minimal side effects. Applications include diabetes monitoring and cancer treatment. However, high costs and risks of electrical shock remain challenges. Recent advances include vagus nerve implants to regulate the immune system and contact lenses to monitor glucose levels.

1. BIOELECTRONIC
MEDICINE
MEHAK AGGARWAL
M.PHARM (PHARMACEUTICS)

2. CONTENT
• INTRODUCTION
• DEFINITION
• WORKING
• ADVANTAGES
• DISADVANTAGES
• RECENT ADVANCEMENTS
• APPLICATIONS
• CONCLUSION
• REFERENCES

3. INTRODUCTION
• The nervous system uses electrical signals to
communicate information throughout the body.
Virtually every cell and organ of the body is directly or
indirectly controlled by these neural signals.
• Our researchers are learning the language of these
neural signals so that we can listen for signals of
disease or injury.

4. DEFINITION
• Bioelectronic medicine are a tiny implanted device
treating disease by changing the electric pulses in
nerves to and from specific organ.

5. • Bioelectronic medicine is the convergence of
molecular medicine, neuroscience, engineering and
computing to develop devices to diagnose and treat
diseases, is at the forefront of potential revolution in
disease management.
• Bioelectronic medicine technologies are used to
record, stimulate and block neural signals which will
change the way we treat disease, injuries and
conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes,
paralysis, bleeding and even cancer.

7. WORKING
• Bioelectronic medicines work by transmitting electrical
impulses along nerve fibres as against to normal
generic medicines which work on molecular
mechanisms.
• It directly modulates the natural language of the
body’s nervous systems— electrical impulses and
action potentials.
• The bioelectronic medicine opens a plethora of
possibilities to cure diseases because different action
nerves can be targeted to cure a wide variety of

8. WORKING

10. ADVANTAGES
• These implants provide targeted treatment; by
controlling the neural signals going to specific organ.
• The device would minimal or with zero side effects.
• It will avoid or overcome the problems faced by
conventional dosage forms.
• With merging with nanotechnology, aimed at increasing
selectivity and specificity of cellular control.
• It could be customized for each patient to account for
severity of a disease for better patient compliance.

11. DISADVANTAGES
• Costly process; if a single part of chip is damaged the
total technique will be meaningless. E.g., bionic eye.
• High compact state of nerve and cardiac systems,
indiscrete stimulator can lead to undesirable effects.
• Chances to get electrical shock.
• Installation of an implant may cause harm to our
body.

12. RECENT ADVANCEMENTS
• Many devices have already came to market as wearable
devices that tell you about our body.
• Set point developed the first self contained rechargeable
bioelectronics device for placement of vagus nerve to
deliver electrical doses.
• Google recently announced contact lens that can monitor
glucose levels.
• Some devices work with smartphones or a computer but
scientists ultimately hope that they ‘ll be able to operate
automatically without wires or perhaps even batteries.

16. APPLICATIONS
• The integration of biomaterials with electronic
elements such as electrodes, chips and transistors
yield hybrid systems that may function as biofuel
cells, biosensors and biocomputing devices.
• Bioelectronic devices have huge scientific and practical
importance for basic science as well as for possible
application in medicine the high technological
industry, the military etc.
• For people with diabetes, sensor could detect in real
time, if glucose levels were too high or too low. The

17. • In cancer treatment-A breakthrough: identify that
unique bioelectronic signal early on, spot the tumor
before it even starts to grow or if you could
manipulate and stop the cancer altogether.
• Bioelectronics offers an alternative. e.g., Set point
medical’s product is a pill sized implantable device
that regulates the immune System; once implanted the
device sends electrical pulses down vagus nerve to a
targeted organ to affect the activity of T-cell and
effector cells such as monocyte and macrophages.

18. CONCLUSION
• Bioelectronic medicine is a growing field where major
advancements in treatment and diagnosing are being achieved.
Therapies based on neural stimulation and application of
electric fields are currently used to improve patients quality of
life.
• However, these therapies still require a multidisciplinary
approach to produce less invasive techniques. In order to
achieve this, development of nanotechnology, materials and
new methodologies will greatly contribute to this field offering
new therapeutic tools that create great impact over the future
medicine and pharmacology.

19. REFERENCES
• Pavlov VA, Tracey KJ: The vagus nerve and inflammatory reflex-linking immunity and
metabolism. Nat rev endocrinol 2012,8(12):743-754.
• Heiduschka P, Thanos S:Implantable bioelectronics interfaces for lost nerve functions
prog. neurobiol 1998,55(5):433-461.
• Dr. Richard J M Hague: Electrochemically stimulating developments in bioelectronics
medicine.
• A Framework for Bioelectronics, Discovery and Innovation: national institute of
standards and technology. February 2009.p.42.
• Article of bioelectronic medicines : Technology targeting molecular mechanisms of
therapy.
• Bioelectronic medicine : A new type of personalization.

20. • A review on Bioelectronic medicine: technology targeting molecular mechanisms for
therapy by P. S. Olofsson and K. J. Tracey.
• Endogenous Bioelectronics in Development, Cancer, and Regeneration: Drugs and
Bioelectronic Devices as Electroceuticals for Regenerative Medicine.
• International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research on Smart
Bioelectronics: The Future of Medicine is Electric by Dr. Thonte S.S., Omprakash G.
Bhusnure , Makanikar V.G., Ovhal Pravin, Deshmukh Sagar, March 2016.