title: Inhaled anti-infective chemotherapy for respiratory tract infections: successes, challenges and the road ahead.
abstract: One of the most common causes of illnesses in humans is from respiratory tract infections caused by bacterial, viral or fungal pathogens. Inhaled anti-infective drugs are crucial for the prophylaxis and treatment of respiratory tract infections. The benefit of anti-infective drug delivery via inhalation is that it affords delivery of sufficient therapeutic dosages directly to the primary site of infection, while minimizing the risks of systemic toxicity or avoiding potential suboptimal pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics associated with systemic drug exposure. This review provides an up-to-date treatise of approved and novel developmental inhaled anti-infective agents, with particular attention to effective strategies for their use, pulmonary pharmacokinetic properties and safety.
authors.affiliation: Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Velkov
authors.affiliation: Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Nusaibah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abdul Rahim
authors.affiliation: Advanced Drug Delivery Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Qi Tony
authors.initials: QT
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Advanced Drug Delivery Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Hak-Kim
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: colistin.polymyxin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents
keywords: Antibiotics; Antifungals; Antivirals; Inhalation; Pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics; Safety