Nutrient supplementation through the pulmonary system using aerosol formulations for critically ill patients

Abstract

newlineNutrients are important for the growth and development of body cells and to maintain body health. Sometimes few bioactive compounds are also considered as a micronutrient, precursor of nutrients, and improves absorption of nutrients. Generally, nutrients are administered through the oral route however due to few limitations of oral route like nutrients may lose its activity in the first-pass metabolism needs an alternative route of delivery. Critically ill patients the one who cannot depend on their gastrointestinal route also needs an alternative delivery system. In the current study, we proposed the pulmonary route as an alternative route to oral for nutrient delivery. We selected two nutrients like and#946;-carotene as vitamin A precursor and bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme as an anti-inflammatory agent. The nutrients were delivered through the pulmonary route in the form of dry powder and fabricated by spray drying (SD), spray freeze drying (SFD), and modified spray drying (MSD) at the various core to wall ratio (active compound to excipient) of 1:10, 1:25 and 1:50. The core to wall ratios and fabricated methods has a great newlineinfluence on inhalable dry powder deposition in deep lungs. These independent factors affect particle size, density, shape, morphology, moisture content, flowability, nature of particles (crystallinity or amorphous), and release of the active compound upon deposition in airways. and#946;-carotene aerosols were developed with hydroxypropyl and#946;-cyclodextrin as excipient and bromelain developed with maltodextrin. newlineThe developed aerosols showed low moisture content (MC) less than 6% and water activity (aw) less than 0.6. The lower MC and aw avoids microorganism growth and formation of lumps; improves flowability. The particle density was lower near unit density, however, SD aerosols showed poor flowability, whereas SFD and MSD aerosols showed free-flowing, which is preferable for effective aerosolization. The SFD and MSD aerosols were found to be hygroscopic in nature. The developed aerosols sho