Pulmonary drug delivery targeting

The lung comprises about 40 different cell types, amongst which type I and type II alveolar epithelial cells are the major types targeted by pulmonary drug delivery systems. Type I cells play an important role in the absorption process of proteins, while type II cells produce surfactant, regulate the immune response, and serve... 

A nanoparticle is a microscopic particle with a diameter less than 100 nm. Nanoparticles were first developed around 1970, and initially they were devised as carriers for vaccines and anticancer drugs. Nanoparticle research is currently an area of intense scientific research because of a wide variety of potential applications in biomedical, optical, and electronic fields. To enhance tumor uptake, the strategy of drug targeting was employed, and as a first important step, research focused on the development of methods to reduce the uptake of the nanoparticles by the RES cells. Simultaneously, the use of nanoparticles for ophthalmic and oral delivery was investigated (17, 18). Recent advancement of nanoparticles and nanosuspensions was caused by their application for pulmonary drug delivery (19, 20). 

Another motivation for particle size reduction of APIs is to facilitate getting the compound to a desired area of the body. For example, pulmonary drug delivery by dry powder inhalation is an administration route where particle size reduction is required to achieve drug delivery to the target region of the lung. The aerodynamic diameter of a particle should be in... 

Brack A, Abu-Dahab R, Borchard G, et al. Lectin-functionalized liposomes for pulmonary drug delivery interaction with human alveolar epithelial cells. J Drug Target 2001 9 241. 

Drug delivery to the respiratory tract has been characterized in the past decade by an increase in knowledge of drug droplet or particle manufacture, behavior, aerosol dispersion, lung deposition and clearance. The number of diseases for which aerosol therapy may be applicable has increased dramatically. The pharmaceutical scientist is no longer limited to pulmonary diseases as therapeutic targets. Substantial progress has been made in every area of pharmaceutical aerosol science, and it is anticipated that this will ultimately lead to many new therapies. 

G Hochhaus, S Suarez, RJ Gonzalez-Rothi, H Schreier. Pulmonary Targeting of Inhaled Glucocorticoids How Is It Influenced by Formulation Respiratory Drug Delivery VI, Hilton Head, SC, 1998, pp. 45-52. 

G. Hochhaus, S. Suarez, R. J. Gonzales-Rothi, and H. Schreier, Pulmonary targeting of inhaled glucocorticoids How is it influenced by formulation , Respiratory Drug Delivery VI(R. Dalby, P. Byron, and S. J. Farr, eds.), Interpharm Press, 1998, p. 45. 

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