Inhalation nebulizer

Abstract

An inhalation nebulizer includes an aerosol generator that has a diaphragm vibrated by a vibration generator. The inhalation nebulizer includes a liquid storage container that is in fluid contact with the diaphragm. A liquid contained in the storage container is atomized into a mixing chamber through openings in the diaphragm and can subsequently be inhaled by a patient.

1 . An inhalation nebulizer comprising: 
 an aerosol generator comprising: 
 a liquid storage container into which a liquid active agent or a liquid containing an active agent is filled as one of a solution, a suspension and an emulsion;  
 a diaphragm which on one side is connected to the liquid storage container such that a liquid filled into the liquid storage container comes into contact with the one side of the diaphragm; and  
 a vibration generator capable of vibrating the diaphragm so that a liquid filled into the liquid storage container is atomized on the other side of the diaphragm through openings of the diaphragm;  
   a mixing chamber into which the aerosol generator expels the aerosol;    an inhalation valve that is open to allow an inflow of ambient air into the mixing chamber during an inhalation phase and is closed to prevent escape of the aerosol from the mixing chamber during an exhalation phase; and    an exhalation valve that is open to allow the discharge of the respiratory air of a patient into the surroundings during the exhalation phase and is closed to prevent the inflow of ambient air during the inhalation phase.    
     
     
         2 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent is provided as a submicron suspension.  
     
     
         3 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent is provided as one of a liposome, a nanosome, a microcapsule or a nanocapsule.  
     
     
         4 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises a drug effective against a disease selected from the group of diseases consisting of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung infections, cystic fibrosis, allergies, pain, migraine, rheumatism, epilepsy, sleeplesness, cancer, diabetes, immune and hormone disorders and gene defects.  
     
     
         5 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises a drug that cannot be administered orally.  
     
     
         6 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises a drug or a combination of drugs for topical or systemic delivery via either a nasal or a pulmonary route.  
     
     
         7 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises an anti-asthmatic.  
     
     
         8 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises an anti-inflammatory drug.  
     
     
         9 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises an antibiotic or an anti-infectiva.  
     
     
         10 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises an anti-tuberculotic.  
     
     
         11 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent is selected from the group of active agents consisting an anti-epileptic drug, an anti-convulsive drug, an anti-emetic, a pain killer, an anti-rheumatic, an anti-cancer drug, a mucolytic drug, a sleeping assistant, an anti-mycotic, a sexual stimulant, a protein or peptide, heparane and a gene.  
     
     
         12 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent is selected from the group of active agents consisting of an anti-diabetic drug, insulin and a hormone.  
     
     
         13 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises a beta-agonist or an anti-cholinergic.  
     
     
         14 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent is selected from the group of active agents consisting of a corticosteroid, a leukotriene antagonist, a bradykinin antagonist, a cromone, an anti-histamine and an antibody.  
     
     
         15 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent is selected from the group of active agents consisting of an aminoglycoside, a cephalosporine, a macrolide, a chinolone, a nitroimidazol, a glycopeptide, a polyen-antibiotic, a beta-lactam, a tetracycline, a quinolone, a sulfonamide, and an azol derivative; or 
 from the group of active agents consisting of a benzodiazepine, a barbitute and a succinimide; or from the group of active agents consisting of alpha anti-trypsine, erythropoetine, interferones, kinases, elastases, peptides and proteines, which active agents can be administered advantageously via a nasal or pulmonary route; or    from the group of active agents consisting of salbutamol, levalbuterol, formoterol, fenoterol, salmeterol, bambuterol, brocaterol, clenbuterol, terbutalin, tulobuterol, epinephrin, isoprenalin, and hexoprenalin; or    from the group of active agents consisting of tiotropium, oxitropium, ipratropium, and glcopyrrolate; or    from the group of active agents consisting of acetylcystein, ambroxol, carbocystein, tyloxapol, dipalmytoylphosphatidylcholin, recombinant surfactant proteins, and D-Nase; or    from the group of active agents consisting of romoglycate, nedocromil, beclomethasone, betamethasone, budesonide, ciclesonide, flunisolide, fluticasone, icomethasone, mometasone, rofleponide, triamcinolone, bradykinine-, prostaglandine-, leucotriene- and platelet activating factor antagonists; or    from the group of active agents consisting of amoxycillan, piperacillin, clavulan acid, sulbactam, cefaclor, cefazedon, Cefuroxim, Cefoxitin, cefodizim, cefsulodin, cefpodixim, cefixim, imipenem, cilastatin, aztrenonam, streptomycin, neomycin, paromomycin, kanamycin, gentamycin, amicacin, tobramycin, spectinomycine, doxycyclin, minocycline, erythromycine, clarithromycine, roxithromycine, azithromycine, josamycine, spiramycine, Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacine, Levofloxacine, pefloxacine, lomefloxacine, fleroxacine, clinafloxacine, sitafloxacine, gemifloxacine, balofloxacine, trovafloxacine, moxifloxacine, metronidazol, tinidazol, chloramphenicol, lincomycine, clindamycine, fosfomycine, Vancomycine and Teicoplanine; or    from the group of active agents consisting of rifampicine, isoniacide, cycloserine, terizidone, and ansamycine; or    from the group of active agents consisting of clotrimazol, oxiconazol, miconazol, ketoconazol, itraconazol, fluconazol, amphotericine B, natamycine, nystatine, flucytosine, and Pentamidine; or    from the group of active agents consisting of dimepranol-4-acetate amideo benzoate, thymopentin, interferones, filgrastine, interleukine, azathioprine, and ciclosporine; virustatics such as podophyllotoxine, vidarabine, tromantadine, zidovudine, and a-anti-trypsin; or    from the group of active agents consisting of corticotropine, tetracosactide, choriogonandotropine, urofolitropine, urogonadotropine, saomatotropine, metergoline, desmopressine, oxytocine, argipressine, omipressine, leuproreline, triptoreline, gonadoreline, busereline, nafareline, goselerine, somatostatine, parathyroide gland hormones, Dihydrotachysterole, calcitonine, clodron acid, etidron acid, thyroid gland therapeutics, anabolics, androgens, etrogens, gestagenes, and antiestrogenes; or    from the group of active agents consisting of nimustine, melphanlane, carmustine, lomustine, cyclophosphosphamide, ifosfamide, trofosfamide, chlorambucil, busulfane, treosulfane, prednimustine, thiotepa, cytarabine, fluorouracil, methotrexate, mercaptopurine, tioguanine, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine, alcarubicine, bleomycine, dactinomycine, daunorubicine, doxorubicine, epirubicine, idarubicine, mitomycine, plicamycine, carboplatinum, cis-platinum, titanocendichloride Amsacrine, dacarbazine, estramustine, etoposide, hydroxycarbamide, mitoxanthrone, procarbazine, and temiposide; or    from the group of active agents consisting of Proxibarbal, lisuride, methysergide, dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, clonidine, pizotifene, bezodiazepines, barbiturates, cyclopyrrolones, imidazopyridines, arbiturates, Pheytoin, Primidone, mesuximide, ethosuximide, sultiam, carbamazepin, valproic acid, vigabatrine, Levodopa, carbidopa, benserazide, selegiline, bromocriptine, amantadine, tiapride, Thiethylperazine, bromopride, domperidone, granisetrone, ondasetrone, tropisetrone, pyridoxine, morphine, codeine, hydromorphone, methadone, fenpipramide, fentanyl, piritramide, pentazocine, buprenorphine, nalbuphine, tilidine, N-methylated barbiturates, thiobarbiturates, ketamine, etomidate, propofol, benzodiazepines,droperidol, haloperidol, alfentanyl, sulfentanyl, tumor necrosis factor alpha and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; or    from the group of active agents consisting of insulin, sulfonylurea derivatives, biguanids, glitizols, glucagon, diazoxid, interleukines, interferones, tumor necrosisfactor (TNF), and colony stimulating factors; or    from the group of active agents consisting of proteins, peptides, heparine, heparinoids, urokinases, streptokinases, ATP-ase, prostacycline, sexual stimulants, and genes, which active agents cannot be administered orally can be delivered advantageously by the inhalation nebulizer either by the nasal or pulmonary route.    
     
     
         16 . The inhalation nebulizer of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises sildenafil.