Deposition of fenoterol from pressurized metered dose inhalers containing hydrofluoroalkanes

The imaging technique of gamma scintigraphy has been used to quantify the total amount of drug deposited in the lungs and the pattern of regional lung deposition, for formulations of Berodual (Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH) delivered from pressurized metered dose inhalers formulated with chlorofluorocarbons, and with hydrofluoroalkane-134a or -227. Data were expressed as the mass of fenoterol deposited in the lungs from the Berodual formulations. All the formulations tested gave a whole lung deposition less than 20% of the metered (exvalve) dose. The mass of fenoterol deposited in the lungs for a solution formulation containing hydrofluoroalkane-134a was inversely proportional to the actuator nozzle diameter. The data suggest that the total and regional lung deposition of hydrofluoroalkane-based pressurized aerosol formulations is highly product-specific and that changes in bioavailability can be brought about by varying both the constituents of the formulation and the design of the actuator.