Preparation of dry powder inhalation by surface treatment of lactose carrier particles.

An attempt was made to produce carrier particles for dry powder inhalations by the surface treatment of lactose particles with aqueous ethanol solution. Drug/carrier powder mixtures were prepared consisting of lactose carriers with different particle surface properties and micronized salbutamol sulfate. These powder mixtures were aerosolized by Spinhaler, and in vitro deposition properties of salbutamol sulfate were evaluated by twin impinger. The degree of adhesion between drug particles and carrier particles was determined by the ultracentrifuge separation method. In addition, the air jet sieve method was used to evaluate characteristics of the separation of drug particles from carrier particles in airflow. The average adhesion force (F50) between the surface-treated lactose carrier and drug particles was significantly lower than that of powder mixed with the untreated lactose carrier, indicating that the degree of separation (T50) of drug particles from carrier particles was improved when surface-treated lactose carrier was used. This resulted in an improvement of in vitro inhalation properties.