A system for the production and delivery of monodisperse salbutamol aerosols to the lungs

• Published in: International journal of pharmaceutics Vol. 254; no. 2; pp. 243 - 253
• Main Authors: Biddiscombe, Martyn F, Usmani, Omar S, Barnes, Peter J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 26.03.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Administration, Inhalation; Aerosols; Albuterol - administration & dosage; Albuterol - chemistry; Beta 2-agonist; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchodilator Agents - administration & dosage; Bronchodilator Agents - chemistry; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Drug Delivery Systems; Drug Stability; Equipment Design; Ethanol; General pharmacology; Human; Lung; Medical sciences; Monodisperse aerosols; Nebulizers and Vaporizers; Osmolar Concentration; Particle Size; Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Reproducibility of Results; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Spinning top aerosol generator; Technology, Pharmaceutical - instrumentation; Water; Human; Beta 2-agonist; Lung; Spinning top aerosol generator; Monodisperse aerosols; Particle size; Pharmaceutical technology; Bronchodilator; Monodispersed aerosol; Beta2-agonist; Inhalation; Aerosol generator; Preparation; Salbutamol
• ISSN: 0378-5173; 1873-3476
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-5173(03)00032-2

An aerosol system is described for the generation and delivery of measured doses of monodisperse therapeutic drug particles to the human lungs. The system comprises a spinning top aerosol generator (STAG), aerosol chamber and inhalation control unit. Monodisperse aerosols allow drug particle size effects to be studied as the dose is within a narrow size distribution and when combined with controlled inhalation may lead to more precise targeting of therapeutic drug to the airways. Using the STAG, particles in the size range 1.5–12 μm were generated and their mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and concentration measured using an aerodynamic particle sizer (APS). The application and validation of the system with the bronchodilator drug salbutamol sulphate is described, and its potential use in the study of aerosol particle size effects is discussed.