NEBULIZER DELIVERY OF OLIGOSACCHARIDE SOLUTION AEROSOLS

Oligosaccharides may be employed to inhibit lung infections. Since the se molecules are water soluble they may be administered directly to th e lungs as aerosol droplets delivered by nebulizer. Two oligosaccharid es, 3'-sialyllactose and lacto-N-neotetraose, were prepared as 1% w/v solutions and delivered using each of two nebulizers, the Acorn II or Aerotech II. The output characteristics of these nebulizers were chara cterized in terms of total mass output (208-253 mu g/mL), mass median aerodynamic diameter (0.6-11 mu m), fine particle fraction (83-95%) an d ACGIH respirable fraction (72-86%). The nebulizer output was also ev aluated following administration via a ventilator unit employed to adm inister aerosols to animals. The ventilator was employed in preliminar y experiments to deliver aerosols to rabbits in preparation for subseq uent experiments in which oligosaccharide administration to an animal model of infection may be studied.