Improving Pulmonary Delivery of Budesonide Suspensions Nebulized with Constant-Output Vibrating Mesh Nebulizers by Using Valved Holding Chamber

<b>Background</b>: Vibrating mesh nebulizers (VMNs) are not only used to deliver typical pulmonary drugs but are also a promising platform for novel formulations and therapeutic applications. Typically, these devices operate continuously or on demand and are directly connected to the out...

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Main Authors: Tomasz R. Sosnowski, Izabela Kazimierczak, Aleksandra Sawczuk, Kamil Janeczek, Andrzej Emeryk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Pharmaceutics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/17/6/696
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author Tomasz R. Sosnowski
Izabela Kazimierczak
Aleksandra Sawczuk
Kamil Janeczek
Andrzej Emeryk
author_facet Tomasz R. Sosnowski
Izabela Kazimierczak
Aleksandra Sawczuk
Kamil Janeczek
Andrzej Emeryk
author_sort Tomasz R. Sosnowski
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background</b>: Vibrating mesh nebulizers (VMNs) are not only used to deliver typical pulmonary drugs but are also a promising platform for novel formulations and therapeutic applications. Typically, these devices operate continuously or on demand and are directly connected to the outflow interface (mouthpiece or mask) without valving systems that could spare the drug during exhalation. This paper examines the possibility of increasing the delivery of inhaled budesonide aerosol by attaching a valved holding chamber (VHC) to selected VMNs. <b>Methods</b>: A laboratory in vitro study was conducted for seven budesonide (BUD) nebulization products (0.25 mg/mL). The rates of aerosol delivery from VMNs alone or VMN + VHC systems were determined gravimetrically for a simulated breathing cycle, while droplet size distributions in mists were measured by laser diffraction. <b>Results</b>: The VMN + VHC systems increased the amount of aerosol available for inhalation and the fraction of fine particles that could penetrate the pulmonary region. Depending on the VMN and BUD product, a relative increase of 30–300% in the total drug delivery (<i>T</i>) and 50–350% in the pulmonary drug availability (<i>P</i>) was obtained. The results are explained by the reduction in aerosol losses during exhalation (the fugitive emission) by the VHC and the simultaneous elimination of the largest droplets due to coalescence and deposition in the chamber. Both VMN and BUD affected the aerosol’s properties and discharge mass and thus the actual benefits of the VHC. <b>Conclusions</b>: While the results confirm the superiority of VMN + VHC over VMNs alone in nebulizing BUD suspensions, they also show that it is difficult to predict the effects quantitatively without testing the individual nebulizer–chamber–drug combination.
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spelling doaj-art-c320184013c6494cace6ef22c0d0ca702025-08-20T03:16:35ZengMDPI AGPharmaceutics1999-49232025-05-0117669610.3390/pharmaceutics17060696Improving Pulmonary Delivery of Budesonide Suspensions Nebulized with Constant-Output Vibrating Mesh Nebulizers by Using Valved Holding ChamberTomasz R. Sosnowski0Izabela Kazimierczak1Aleksandra Sawczuk2Kamil Janeczek3Andrzej Emeryk4Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-645 Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-645 Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-645 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Allergology and Pediatrics, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, PolandDepartment of Pediatrics, Lung Diseases and Rheumatology, University Chidren’s Hospital in Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland<b>Background</b>: Vibrating mesh nebulizers (VMNs) are not only used to deliver typical pulmonary drugs but are also a promising platform for novel formulations and therapeutic applications. Typically, these devices operate continuously or on demand and are directly connected to the outflow interface (mouthpiece or mask) without valving systems that could spare the drug during exhalation. This paper examines the possibility of increasing the delivery of inhaled budesonide aerosol by attaching a valved holding chamber (VHC) to selected VMNs. <b>Methods</b>: A laboratory in vitro study was conducted for seven budesonide (BUD) nebulization products (0.25 mg/mL). The rates of aerosol delivery from VMNs alone or VMN + VHC systems were determined gravimetrically for a simulated breathing cycle, while droplet size distributions in mists were measured by laser diffraction. <b>Results</b>: The VMN + VHC systems increased the amount of aerosol available for inhalation and the fraction of fine particles that could penetrate the pulmonary region. Depending on the VMN and BUD product, a relative increase of 30–300% in the total drug delivery (<i>T</i>) and 50–350% in the pulmonary drug availability (<i>P</i>) was obtained. The results are explained by the reduction in aerosol losses during exhalation (the fugitive emission) by the VHC and the simultaneous elimination of the largest droplets due to coalescence and deposition in the chamber. Both VMN and BUD affected the aerosol’s properties and discharge mass and thus the actual benefits of the VHC. <b>Conclusions</b>: While the results confirm the superiority of VMN + VHC over VMNs alone in nebulizing BUD suspensions, they also show that it is difficult to predict the effects quantitatively without testing the individual nebulizer–chamber–drug combination.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/17/6/696inhalationnebulizationdrug availabilityaerosolbudesonide
spellingShingle Tomasz R. Sosnowski
Izabela Kazimierczak
Aleksandra Sawczuk
Kamil Janeczek
Andrzej Emeryk
Improving Pulmonary Delivery of Budesonide Suspensions Nebulized with Constant-Output Vibrating Mesh Nebulizers by Using Valved Holding Chamber
Pharmaceutics
inhalation
nebulization
drug availability
aerosol
budesonide
title Improving Pulmonary Delivery of Budesonide Suspensions Nebulized with Constant-Output Vibrating Mesh Nebulizers by Using Valved Holding Chamber
title_full Improving Pulmonary Delivery of Budesonide Suspensions Nebulized with Constant-Output Vibrating Mesh Nebulizers by Using Valved Holding Chamber
title_fullStr Improving Pulmonary Delivery of Budesonide Suspensions Nebulized with Constant-Output Vibrating Mesh Nebulizers by Using Valved Holding Chamber
title_full_unstemmed Improving Pulmonary Delivery of Budesonide Suspensions Nebulized with Constant-Output Vibrating Mesh Nebulizers by Using Valved Holding Chamber
title_short Improving Pulmonary Delivery of Budesonide Suspensions Nebulized with Constant-Output Vibrating Mesh Nebulizers by Using Valved Holding Chamber
title_sort improving pulmonary delivery of budesonide suspensions nebulized with constant output vibrating mesh nebulizers by using valved holding chamber
topic inhalation
nebulization
drug availability
aerosol
budesonide
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/17/6/696
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