New insights into skin permeation enhancement by fatty acids

Abstract

The influence of chain length of fatty acids and the importance of the solvent carrier on drug permeation through porcine epidermis was studied. Propylene glycol, PG, and mineral oil, MO of opposing polarity were used as carriers for the fatty acids. Results indicated that short chain fatty acids were able to disrupt lipid bilayers when carried in MO, and to enhance drug permeation across the skin. On the other hand, short chain acids in PG did not enhance drug permeation across epidermis. Yet, long chain fatty acids in PG provided greater permeation capacity than in MO. The permeation profiles here along with results from previous study suggest that drug permeation for MO-based formulations could occur predominantly by the intercellular route within the stratum corneum (SC). As for PG-based formulations, it was postulated that drug permeation was via the transcellular pathway. © 2004 Materials Research Society.