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Studies on the Effect of the Size of Polycaprolactone Microspheres for the Dispersion of Salbutamol Sulfate from Dry Powder Inhaler Formulations

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An Erratum to this article was published on 24 August 2012

Abstract

Purpose

To study the effect of the size of the surface-coated polycaprolactone (PCL) microparticle carriers on the aerosolization and dispersion of Salbutamol Sulfate (SS) from Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) formulations.

Methods

The microparticles were fabricated using an emulsion technique in four different sizes (25, 48, 104 and 150 μm) and later coated with Magnesium stearate (MgSt) and leucine. They were characterized by laser diffraction and SEM. The Fine Particle Fraction (FPF) of SS from powder mixtures was determined by a Twin Stage Impinger (TSI).

Results

As the carrier size increased from 25 μm to 150 μm, the FPF of the SS delivered by the coated PCL particles increased approximately four fold. A linear relationship was found between the FPF and Volume mean Diameter (VMD) of the particles over this range.

Conclusions

The dispersion behaviour of SS from PCL carriers was dependent on the inherent size of the carriers and the increased FPF of SS with increased carrier size probably reflects the higher mechanical forces produced due to the carrier-carrier collisions or collisions between the carrier particles and the internal walls of the inhaler during aerosolization.

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Abbreviations

d:

diameter

DCM:

dichloromethane

DPI:

dry powder inhaler

ED:

emitted dose

FPF:

fine particle fraction

HPLC:

high performance liquid chromatography

MgSt:

magnesium stearate

MW :

molecular weight

N:

particle number

PCL:

polycaprolactone

PVA:

polyvinyl alcohol

RD:

recovered dose

S1:

stage one

S2:

stage two

SEM:

scanning electron microscope

SS:

salbutamol sulfate

SX:

salmeterol xinafoate

TSI:

twin stage impinger

UV:

ultraviolet

VMD:

volume median diameter

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Acknowledgments AND DISCLOSURES

This work has been financially supported through a PhD studentship and Rinku Tuli would like to acknowledge the scholarship support provided by the Faculty of Science and Technology, Queensland University of Technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, 60 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, QLD, 4059, Australia

    Rinku A. Tuli, Graeme A. George, Tim R. Dargaville & Nazrul Islam

  2. Pharmacy Discipline, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia

    Rinku A. Tuli & Nazrul Islam

  3. Chemistry Discipline, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia

    Graeme A. George & Tim R. Dargaville

Authors
  1. Rinku A. Tuli
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  2. Graeme A. George
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Correspondence to Nazrul Islam.

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Tuli, R.A., George, G.A., Dargaville, T.R. et al. Studies on the Effect of the Size of Polycaprolactone Microspheres for the Dispersion of Salbutamol Sulfate from Dry Powder Inhaler Formulations. Pharm Res 29, 2445–2455 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-012-0772-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-012-0772-y

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