Assessment of the amount of drug deposited in the lungs of asthmatic children using disodium cromoglycate as the marker

: Disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) is easily absorbed from the airways and lungs, and is excreted unchanged in the urine and bile. Therefore it is possible to estimate the dose of DSCG deposited in the airways and lungs based upon urinary excretion. The urinary concentration of DSCG was measured by the HPLC method in 78 asthmatic children aged 0 to 16 years after they had inhaled 20 mg nebulizer solutions with facemasks. Jet-type nebulizers were used. The mean urinary excretion of DSCG in the patients aged 0, 1, 2 and 3 years from 4-hour urinary collection represented 0.204%, 0.231%, 0.593%, 0.790%, respectively, of the dose administered. In the patients aged 3, 4, 5-6, 7-9 and 10-16 years, from 24-hour urinary collection, the figures were 0.625%, 0.895, 0.855, 1.176%, 1.070%, respectively. The mean dose deposited in the airways and lungs of the age groups 0-1, 2, 3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-16 years represented approximately 0.5%, 1.4%, 1.4-1.8%, 2.0%, 2.7%, 2.4%, respectively, of the dose administered. Although there was a wide range in the total amount of DSCG deposited in the airways and lungs of asthmatic children, these data seem to provide a useful guide to standardizing the dosing in inhalation therapy.