Process for conditioning substances

A process for providing a stable crystallinic form to a fine-grained substance or a substance mixture, which can be produced, stored and used while maintaining the aerodynamic properties required for inhalation of such a substance or a substance mixture, which comprises the steps of

• a) in the case of a substance mixture, either preparing a homogenous mixture of the substances or leaving the components of the mixture separate;
• b) micronizing, direct precipitating or diminishing by any conventional method the substance(s), or substance mixture into a particle size required for inhalation, the particle size being less than 10 .mu.m;
• c) preparing a homogenous mixture of the desired substances in the case wherein each substance has been introduced separately from stage b) in the form of fine-grained particles;
• d) conditioning said substance or substance mixture by treatment with a water-containing vapour phase in a controlled fashion;
• and
• e) drying the substance or substance mixture and wherein said substance or at least one of the substances of said substance mixture is selected from the group consisting of formoterol;
• salmeterol;
• salbutamol;
• bambuterol;
• terbutaline;
• fenoterol;
• clenbuterol;
• procaterol;
• bitolterol;
• broxaterol;
• ipratropium bromide;
• budesonide;
• (22R)-6.alpha.,9.alpha.-difluoro-11.beta.,21-dihydroxy-16.alpha.,17.alpha. -propylmethylenedioxy-4-pregnen-3,20-dione;
• fluticasone;
• beclomethasone;
• tipredane;
• momethasone;
• pharmacologically acceptable esters, salts and solvates thereof;
• and solvates of such esters or salts.