A Mechanical Micro Spray Pump: An Alternative to Propellant Driven Devices?

Abstract

ABSTRACT

An account is given on the development of a purely mechanical Micro Spray Pump (MSP) which is capable of delivering aqueous drug solutions to the respiratory tract. In-vitro, deposition characteristics of two solutions, food dye and salbutamol sulphate, at different dosage levels and various flow rates were determined. A theoretical flow model was employed to understand deposition pattern in the Twin Impinger. In-vivo experiments where a ^99mTc marked isotonic saline solution was nebulized by the MSP showed bronchial deposites on average of 8% and in a single experiment with spacer even up to 25%. The MSP prototype proves to be a feasible alternative non-propellant driven device to deliver drugs to the respiratory tract.