Airways delivery of rifampicin microparticles for the treatment of tuberculosis.

A Mycobacterium tuberculosis (H37Rv)-infected guinea pig model was used to screen for targeted delivery to the lungs by insufflation (with lactose excipient) or nebulization, of either rifampicin alone, rifampicin within poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres (R-PLGA) or polymer microparticles alone (PLGA). Animals treated with single and double doses of R-PLGA microspheres exhibited significantly reduced numbers of viable bacteria, inflammation and lung damage compared with lactose-, PLGA- or rifampicin-treated animals 28 days post-infection (P < 0.05). Two doses of R-PLGA resulted in reduced splenic enlargement. These studies support the potential of R-PLGA delivered to the lung to treat pulmonary tuberculosis.