The Importance of Inhaler Shaking Testing

Inhaler testing plays a crucial role for testing the efficacy and safety of inhaled medications. Inhaler testing can support by ensuring that aerosol delivery is effective for patient outcomes.

Inhaler devices are designed to deliver doses of therapeutic agents to the respiratory tract. However many different factors can impact the actual dose delivered, for example:

-Manufacturing variations
-The technique used by the patient
-Environmental conditions

Why is Inhaler Testing Essential?

Inhaler testing can provide critical data on the size of the dose that is emitted from the device. It can also provide data on the particle size distribution and the velocity of the medication.

This information is key for:

Making sure that the formulation is optimal - There is an optimal particle size for efficiently depositing the medication into the correct part of the lungs. Inhaler testing can help with refining the drug carrier system to make sure the particle size is optimal.

Designing the device - The device design should be evaluated. Inhaler testing can help to improve aerosol performance by identifying areas for change in the design.

Consistent manufacture to ensure consistent performance and minimise variability


What is inhaler shaking testing?

Inhaler shaking testing is a process that ensures the contents of a metered dose inhaler (MDI) or dry powder inhaler (DPI) are mixed properly. This process is important to ensure that the inhaler produces a consistent dose of medication and delivers it to the patient each time.

Inhaler shaking testing:

-Makes sure that the medicine and propellant are mixed properly
-Reduces error and provides reliable data
-Ensures that the same dose of medication is administered every time

How to conduct inhaler shaking testing

Broadly speaking, the best way to conduct inhaler shaking testing is to:

1.Shake the inhaler vigorously for a specified amount of time
2.Attach the inhaler to a device that collects and analyzes the dose
3.Analyse the high-performance liquid chromatography

How automation can help with inhaler shaking

Automation is beneficial for inhaler testing because it ensures that:

-The shaker speed is controlled and consistent
-The angle/shake profile is consistent, to replicate an elbow or wrist movement
-The gap between shaking and firing is controlled
-The force at which inhaler is fired is consistent

Xelair for inhaler shaking testing

Xelair® from Astech is an award-winning product range used by pharmaceutical clients which tests Dose Content Uniformity of the Emitted Dose.

The range includes:

-Analyst workstations
-Semi automated platforms
-Fully automated systems for high throughput applications

Contact our team to learn more about how Xelair® could be used for your inhaler shaking testing.

Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.