AEROSOL PENICILLIN

Abstract

Medicated aerosols afford a new and promising approach to the treatment of bronchopulmonary diseases.¹ Penicillin,² sulfonamide compounds,³ "promin" (sodium p,p'-diaminodiphenylsulfone-N,N'-didextrose sulfonate)⁴ and streptomycin⁵ have been employed in this manner. Nebulization of the material with oxygen has been the method of application used by the majority of workers. In recent communications⁶ a combined steam generator and aerosolizer has been described, which is simple, effective, inexpensive and readily applicable for home and office use. Preliminary studies with this aerosolizer disclosed that satisfactory aerosols were readily obtained from solutions of theophylline ethylenediamine, epinephrine, sulfadiazine and penicillin—singly or in combinations.⁷ Results of the present study have shown that the inhalation of aerosols of penicillin produces a concentration of the drug sufficient to make it effective for treatment not only of bronchopulmonary disease but also of infections in other systems of organs in which use of this antibiotic