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Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Dry Powder and Nebulized Aerosol Inhalation of Pharmaceuticals Delivered to Mice Using a Nose-only Exposure System
Published on: April 6, 2017
Engineering of crystalline combination inhalation particles of a long-acting beta2-agonist and a corticosteroid
Chonladda Pitchayajittipong1, Jagdeep Shur, Robert Price
1Pharmaceutical Surface Science Research Group, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
Purpose:
Engineering of inhalation particles incorporating, in each individual particle, a combination of a long-acting beta-agonist and a glucocorticosteroid in a pre-determined and constant ratio for delivery via a dry powder inhaler (DPI).
Methods:
Individual crystalline particles containing both the glucocorticosteroid fluticasone propionate (FP) and long-acting beta-agonist salmeterol (SX) were prepared, in a ratio of 10:1, using the solution atomization and crystallization by sonication (SAX) process. Combination drug particles were characterized by particle size, morphology, crystallinity and aerosolisation efficiency using inertial impaction.
Results:
Combination drug particles were spherical and crystalline, with a median diameter of 4.68 +/- 0.01 microm. Aerosolisation of formulations containing combination drug particles resulted in greater uniformity in delivery ratios of both actives across all stages of the impactor before and after storage.
Conclusions:
Actives in a pre-determined dose ratio can be crystallised in a single particle using the SAX process.
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