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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
07:28
Dry Powder and Nebulized Aerosol Inhalation of Pharmaceuticals Delivered to Mice Using a Nose-only Exposure System
Published on: April 6, 2017
Systemic treatment by inhalation of macromolecules--principles, problems, and examples
1Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM), Bonn, Germany. r.siekmeier@bfarm.de
Summary
Inhaled aerosol therapy for systemic diseases is now accurate and efficient thanks to modern delivery systems. This non-invasive method offers a viable alternative to injections for various medications.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Pharmacology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Aerosol inhalation is a standard treatment for lung diseases.
- Its use for systemic diseases was limited by dose accuracy, efficiency, and reproducibility issues.
- Previous challenges included low drug delivery to the lungs and potential respiratory allergic reactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the mechanisms of pulmonary absorption for macromolecules.
- To provide an overview of research on inhaled systemic disease treatments.
- To highlight advancements in aerosol therapy for systemic conditions.
Main Methods:
- Summarizing mechanisms of pulmonary absorption of macromolecules.
- Reviewing prior research on inhalant treatment of systemic diseases.
- Analyzing the impact of modern aerosol delivery systems.
Main Results:
- Modern aerosol systems have overcome previous limitations in dose accuracy and efficiency.
- Allergic reactions were not observed in numerous studies with systemically active drugs.
- Controlled aerosol therapy is a non-invasive alternative to syringe-based drug delivery for macromolecules like insulin and heparin.
Conclusions:
- Advanced aerosol technology enables precise and effective systemic drug delivery via inhalation.
- Pulmonary absorption of macromolecules is feasible and safe for treating systemic diseases.
- Inhaled therapy presents a promising non-invasive alternative to traditional injection methods.
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