Pulmonary Applications

Phospholipids have been known for a long time to be beneficial for the treatment of the respiratory distress syndrome in newborn children, compensating for the lack of lung surfactant in these children. More than 80 % of the lung mucosa consists of phospholipids which play a crucial role in the air-blood interface within human alveolars.

Recently, more phospholipid-containing dosage forms have been introduced on the market for inhalation administration. Considering their excellent toxicity profile and their endogenous occurrence in high concentration, phospholipids are excellent excipients for pulmonary applications.

Since the lung contains saturated phospholipids, saturated PCs and PGs are the preferred phospholipids for use in inhalation dosage forms. They are applied either in dry powder inhalation forms or in liquid formulations for nebulization.