Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are major global health concerns, with inhalation therapy being a primary treatment method. Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) often face challenges related to particle aggregation, which can diminish drug delivery efficiency. This study investigates particle aggregation and aims to optimize the cohesion-adhesion balance to improve inhalation efficiency. Advanced techniques like atomic force microscopy and Raman imaging were used to analyze particle interactions, focusing on lactose ratios, particle morphology, and drug-drug interactions. The therapeutic efficacy of optimized formulations containing budesonide (BUD) and Arformoterol (AFT) was assessed using an asthma model, showing significant improvements in sRAW, neutrophil count, and tidal volume compared to the positive control, with p-values below 0.01. AFT exhibited comparable efficacy to Formoterol at half the dose. Additionally, pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated similar in vivo behavior between the drugs, confirming the therapeutic advantage of AFT, with p-values for AUC0-t and Cmax of .646 and .153, respectively. The fine particle fractions for AFT and BUD were 39.4% and 50.6%, respectively, indicating improved drug delivery efficiency and potential for better clinical outcomes in asthma and COPD patients.
Keywords: Dry powder inhaler; Raman imaging; cohesion–adhesion; drug–drug interaction; particle interaction.