ABSTRACT
Pulmonary surfactant is a complex mixture of phospholipids, neutral lipids and specific proteins. It lowers surface tension at the air-liquid interface of the lung to prevent alveolar collapse at end-expiration [1]. The major cause of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a primary deficiency of surfactant [2], and surfactant replacement therapy has had a major impact in improving the outcome of this disorder in preterm infants [3]. Surfactants were the first drugs designed primarily for use in the newborn, and those licensed for treatment or prevention of RDS fall into 2 broad categories: synthetic and natural. Synthetic surfactants are composed mainly of phospholipids (usually dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, DPPC, also known as colfosceril palmitate) but do not contain surfactant proteins. Natural surfactants are derived from animal lungs, and they contain both phospholipids and surfactant proteins B and C [4].
