Diabetes mellitus patients are treated with insulin injections rather than oral tablets. Suggest a reason why injections are necessary. Also state the role of insulin in the body.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 01:01 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Insulin is a protein (hormone). If taken orally, it would be digested by proteases in the alimentary canal and become inactive before reaching the bloodstream. Hence, it must be injected directly into the blood.
Role of insulin: It regulates blood glucose levels by promoting the uptake of glucose by body cells, thereby lowering blood sugar.
Explanation
- The key point examiners look for is that insulin is a protein and would be broken down by digestive enzymes if taken orally — this is the core reason for injection.
- The second part on insulin's role (regulating/lowering blood glucose) must be included for full marks.
- This question is based on general NCERT knowledge from Chapter 7 (Control and Coordination); the source passages do not directly cover it, so standard textbook knowledge applies.
- Keep both parts concise — one line each is sufficient for 2 marks.