Drug delivery by inhalation of charged particles

All solid and liquid particles produced naturally or by energetic industrial processes are electrically charged. Although the natural levels of charge are normally insufficient to influence the deposition of inhaled particles in the lung it is possible to increase charge levels so that a significant increase in lung deposition is caused. By careful control of breathing, particle size and charge it is possible to target specific regions of the lung. Predictions of targeted deposition using the Southampton lung model are presented and a brief description of complementary clinical studies is given.