Selected methods for the evaluation of the effects of drugs on mucus viscoelasticity and mucociliary clearance.

In order to rationally test the efficacy of mucolytic and mucospissic compounds, their effects upon mucus viscoelasticity, ciliary beat frequency (c.b.f.) and total mucociliary transport rate (t.t.r.) must all be determined. Methods are described which allow the measurement of the viscoelastic modulii of small (10 microL) quantities of mucus, while c.b.f. and t.t.r. are determined using the frog palate model.