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Updated: Dec 21, 2025
Evaluating Regional Pulmonary Deposition using Patient-Specific 3D Printed Lung Models
Published on: November 11, 2020
Feasibility study of a surface-coated lung model to quantify active agent deposition for preclinical studies
Philipp Dörner1, Philipp M Müller1, Jana Reiter2
1Chair of Fluid Mechanics and Institute of Aerodynamics, RWTH Aachen University, Wüllnerstr. 5a, 52062 Aachen, Germany.
Background:
Multiple drug resistance of a growing number of bacterial pathogens represents an increasing challenge in conventional curative treatments of infectious diseases. However, the development and testing of new antibiotics is associated with a high number of animal experiments.
Methods:
A symmetrical parametrized lung test rig allowing the exposure of air-passage surfaces to antibiotics was designed and tested to demonstrate proof-of-principle with aerosols containing allicin, which is an antimicrobial natural product from garlic. An artificial lung surface is coated with bacteria embedded in a hydrogel and growth inhibition is visualized by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, that is reduced from colourless to the dark blue formazan in the presence of metabolically active, living cells. A nebulizer is used to generate the aerosols.
Findings:
The results show that allicin has an antibiotic effect as an aerosol and that the deposition pattern of the active agent occurred mainly around the carinal regions.
Interpretation:
The model represents an integral system for continuous, spatial detection of aerosol deposition and allows the analysis of bacterial behaviour and the toxicity of the active agent. Thus, the deposition of antimicrobial aerosols on the bronchial surfaces is characterized in preliminary tests without any animal experiments.
Insights
Allicin, a natural garlic compound, effectively inhibits bacterial growth when delivered as an aerosol in a novel lung model. This new method assesses antibiotic efficacy without animal testing, addressing antimicrobial resistance challenges.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Microbiology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens poses a significant global health challenge.
- Conventional antibiotic development relies heavily on animal testing, which is ethically and practically demanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel in vitro lung model for testing aerosolized antibiotics.
- To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of allicin delivered via aerosol against bacteria in an artificial lung environment.
Main Methods:
- A symmetrical, parametrized lung test rig was designed to expose artificial lung surfaces to antibiotic aerosols.
- Bacteria embedded in a hydrogel on an artificial lung surface were exposed to allicin aerosols generated by a nebulizer.
- Bacterial growth inhibition was visualized using a colorimetric assay (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide).
Main Results:
- Allicin demonstrated significant antibiotic effects when administered as an aerosol.
- The deposition pattern of allicin aerosol was primarily observed around the carinal regions of the artificial lung model.
- The model allowed for spatial detection of aerosol deposition and analysis of bacterial response.
Conclusions:
- The developed lung model provides a viable platform for evaluating aerosolized antimicrobial agents without animal experimentation.
- This approach facilitates the characterization of aerosol deposition and antimicrobial activity on bronchial surfaces.
- The study highlights the potential of allicin as an aerosolized antibiotic to combat drug-resistant bacteria.
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