Methods employing unique mixtures of polar and neutral lipids and sterol

Abstract

The present invention discloses unique methods employing mixtures of phospholipids and neutral lipids for surfactant replacement therapy in the treatment of the various forms of respiratory distress syndrome. These compositions are shown to greatly enhance the surfactant replacement efficiency of surface-active lipids. In this regard, experimental models have shown that both the surface-tension lowering effect and rate of phospholipid absorption to an air/liquid interface are accelerated by the addition of triglycerides and/or sterols to mixtures of saturated or unsaturated phospholipids. Such compositions are therefore theorized to give new and enhanced therapeutic value to the use of surface-active lipids for surfactant replacement therapy in a subject without risk of immunogenic response. The subject methods also comprise a simple, rapid and inexpensive means for the deposition of polar lipids to a variety of air/liquid interfaces.