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

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 microm 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.