| 摘要 |
Capsules (such as hard gelatin, cellulose and plastic capsules) containing pharmaceutical powders which are administered to a patient via inhalation are treated so as to increase the effective amount of the pharmaceutical agent reaching the respiratory system of the patient. The capsules are coated internally with a lubricant during manufacture and in one aspect, the method involves exposing the lubricant-coated inner surface of the capsule to a pharmaceutically acceptable solvent which dissolves the lubricant. Generally, the solvent is volatile, and bactericidal (e.g. ethanol). The pharmaceutical powder is inserted in the capsule following this washing procedure. Alternatively, the lubricant-coated capsule is dusted internally with a dusting agent such as a salt (e.g. sodium chloride) or a sugar (e.g. lactose, mannitol, trehalose or sucrose) prior to inserting the pharmaceutical powder inside the capsule. The invention also pertains to a capsule, optionally containing the pharmaceutical powder therein, which has been treated according to the methods discussed above.
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