Inhaled aerosol drugs commonly used by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease include short-acting and long-acting bronchodilators, as well as corticosteroids. These agents are available in a variety of inhaler devices, which include metered-dose inhalers (MDI), breath-actuated MDIs, nebulizers, and, currently, 5 different models of dry powder inhaler (DPI). There is evidence to su...

tert-Butyl acetate (TBAc) is an organic solvent, which is commonly used in architectural coatings and industrial solvents. It has recently been exempted from the definition of a volatile organic compound (VOC) by the Air Resources Board (ARB) . Since the use of TBAc as a substitute for other VOCs has increased, thus its potential risk in humans has also increased. However, its inhalation toxici...

Jet propulsion fuel 8 (JP-8) is the major jet fuel used worldwide and has been recognized as a major source of chemical exposure, both inhalation and dermal, for fuel-cell maintenance workers. We investigated the contributions of dermal and inhalation exposure to JP-8 to the total body dose of U.S. Air Force fuel-cell maintenance workers using naphthalene as a surrogate for JP-8 exposure. Derma...

We examined the hypothesis that a forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) manoeuvre (and the preceding deep inhalation) before inhalation of methacholine might influence FEV1 measured after methacholine, if the time between measurements was short. Six to nine healthy subjects inhaled a single dose of methacholine, known to cause about 20% decrease in FEV1, on different days in different t...

OBJECTIVES To investigate the effects of isoflurane and propofol on mean arterial pressure (MAP), cochlear blood flow (CoBF), distortion-product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), and the ultrastructure of outer hair cells (OHCs) in guinea pig cochleae. METHODS Forty-eight male guinea pigs were randomly assigned to one of six treatment groups. Groups 1 to 3 were infused (i.v.) with a loading dose ...

BACKGROUND Benzodiazepines have a direct bronchodilatory effect. Methacholine is a non-selective muscarinic receptor agonist causing bronchoconstriction. AIM To examine the effects of inhaled benzodiazepines, modulating bronchoconstriction induced by methacholine in patients with asthma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Twelve patients with well controlled asthma were studied. On the first day, after d...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the voluntary suppression of cough in response to capsaicin inhalation in healthy volunteers, and to determine if the dose-response curve to capsaicin was significantly altered when volunteers were asked to suppress their cough response. The quantification of the degree of voluntary suppression of induced cough could provide a new methodology for ...

The aim of the present study was to measure airway, oropharyngeal and gastrointestinal deposition of (99m)Tc-labelled hydrofluoroalkane-beclomethasone dipropionate after inhalation via a pressurised metered-dose inhaler and spacer (Aerochamber Plus) in asthmatic children. A group of 24 children (aged 5-17 yrs) with mild asthma inhaled the labelled drug. A total of 12 children took five tidal br...

Introduction Inhalation as a drug delivery route has been in clinical practice for more than 50 years, with small molecules for the treatment of asthma/COPD capturing the ma jority market share of inhalation products. Since that time, protein therapeutics or biotherapeutics have emerged as a significant class of drugs in clinical development and on the market. Delivery of biotherapeutics direct...

Brevetoxins are potent neurotoxins produced by the marine dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. Exposure to brevetoxins may occur during a K. brevis red tide when the compounds become aerosolized by wind and surf. This study assessed possible adverse health effects associated with inhalation exposure to brevetoxin 3, one of the major brevetoxins produced by K. brevis and present in aerosols collected ...