Nebulizer-compatible liquid formulations for aerosol pulmonary delivery of hydrophobic drugs: glucocorticoids and cyclosporine

This review discusses pulmonary delivery of glucocorticoids and cyclosporine in pharmaceutically acceptable organic solvents and liposomes, as well as in micellar solutions and microemulsions, by means of liquid aerosols generated by nebulizers. The review points out the importance of a variety of parameters for successful treatment of immunologically mediated lung diseases by inhalation of drug containing aerosols with particular references to physico-chemical properties of formulations, aerosol parameters, pharmacokinetics, and lung deposition in experimental animals and humans. The prospects for the use of these types of formulations for clinical treatment of asthma, lung transplant rejection processes and other lung diseases are summarized.