Absorption of drugs by the lung.

Ten patients undergoing diagnostic bronchoscopy had radioisotopically labelled drugs put directly into their bronchi; two received sodium cromoglycate, two salbutamol, three salmefamol and three rimiterol. All four drugs were rapidly absorbed but higher peak plasma levels per unit dose were seen with sodium cromoglycate and salbutamol than with the other two drugs. It is suggested that the lung metabolizes salmefamol and rimiterol but does not metabolize salbutamol or sodium cromoglycate.