An Ethanol-Based Proliposome Technology for Enhanced Delivery and Improved “Respirability” of Antiasthma Aerosols Generated Using a Micropump Vibrating-Mesh Nebulizer

Abstract

Salbutamol sulphate liposomes were generated using ethanolbased proliposomes followed by nebulization using an Aeroneb Pro vibrating-mesh nebulizer. The droplet size, output and fine particle fraction (FPF) of the drug incorporated in liposome formulation were compared to those of a conventional drug solution. Aerosol output was determined gravimetrically and drug output was analyzed by using high performance liquid chromatography. The potential of aerosol deposition in deep lung was evaluated using inertial impaction and laser diffraction. The effect of formulation surface tension on the aerosol performance was studied. Output and FPF were improved using liposomes compared to the conventional solution, for instance, FPF values were 57.85% and 45.81% respectively. The volume median diameter as measured by laser diffraction was respectively 3.44 µm and 3.22 µm; however, the higher FPF of the liposome formulation is justified by the lower polydispersity of its aerosol. The improved aerosol performance using liposomes was attributed to the reduction of surface tension caused by the presence of phospholipid. This is the first study that demons trates the ability of liposomes to improve the nebulized drug output and FPF.

A Facile and Novel Approach to Manufacture Paclitaxel-Loaded Proliposome Tablet Formulations of Micro or Nano Vesicles for Nebulization

“…The TSI is comprised of an upper stage (Stage 1) representing the upper airway, and the lower stage (Stage 2) representing the lower airway of the respiratory tract. The cut-off aerodynamic diameter between the two stages of TSI is 6.4 μm, hence particle less than this size can deposit in the lower stage of TSI and are referred to as "respirable or fine particle fraction" (55,56). The air flow rate was adjusted to 60 L/min with previously placed 7 ml of DW in the upper stage and 30 ml of DW in the lower stage of TSI.…”

Impact of dispersion media and carrier type on spray-dried proliposome powder formulations loaded with beclomethasone dipropionate for their pulmonary drug delivery via a next generation impactor

“…However, this instability can be overcome by the production of proliposome formulations [16][17][18]. There are two prominent types of proliposome formulation, these are; particular-based [16,19] and ethanol-based formulations [18,20], each formulation generates liposomes via the hydration method (i.e., takes place above the phase transition temperature of the phospholipid selected). Particulate-based Proliposome formulations are produced by either a spray-drying method [21], fluidized-bed coating method [22] or a slurry-based method [23].…”