Chapter 7. Pulmonary Drugs

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses about pulmonary drugs and also establishes the presence of a cellular lining film on the inner aspect of the alveolar surface. A surfactant component of this film was believed to function physiologically to lower surface tension of the alveolar wall, especially when the surface area is reduced, thereby promoting alveolar stability. It was concluded from animal studies that bromhexine affects tracheobronchial secretions by an action on central nervous system structures, probably in the areas of the emetic center in the medulla oblongata occurring both as a direct effect and indirectly stimulation of the gastric mucous membrane. Other animal tests indicated bronchial secretions were increased by bromhexine as a result of an improved permeability ratio between the bronchial mucous membrane and its blood supply. In another study, it was reported that the pronounced mucolytic action of N -acetylcysteine in patients with chronic bronchitis was not lessened by concomitant nebulization with racemic epinephrine. For similar reasons, an aerosol combination with a bronchodilator was also recommended for pancreatic dornase. An in vitro study, employing a cone-plate viscometer for the evaluation of viscosity, confirmed the effective lytic action of sulfhydryl compounds on both purulent and mucoid sputa whereas dornase was effective only on purulent sputum.