title: Effect of penetration enhancers on the permeation of mannitol, hydrocortisone and progesterone through human skin.
abstract: Mannitol, hydrocortisone and progesterone were selected as model penetrants to assess the mode of action of eight potential penetration enhancers in human skin. Their partition coefficients, octanol: water and stratum corneum: water were measured and correlated with their postulated routes of penetration through human skin. The results suggest that mannitol penetrated via a polar route, hydrocortisone by a mainly lipid route and progesterone via a lipid pathway but its penetration rate was probably affected by aqueous layers. From permeation studies through cadaver skin in which an in-vivo mimic method was used, it was concluded that the penetration enhancers fell into three main categories: solvents which enhanced permeation of polar and non-polar compounds e.g. 2-pyrrolidone, N-methylpyrrolidone, N-methylformamide and propylene glycol plus Azone; enhancers which preferentially affected the polar route e.g. propylene glycol plus decylmethylsulphoxide, and accelerants which mainly modified the non-polar route e.g. propylene glycol plus oleic acid, propylene glycol alone and, to a limited extent, water.
mesh_terms: D000096:Acetone / Q000494:pharmacology; D001381:Azepines / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008353:Mannitol / Q000378:metabolism*; D019301:Oleic Acid; D009829:Oleic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D010539:Permeability; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D019946:Propylene Glycol; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D012869:Skin Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D001381:Azepines; D009829:Oleic Acids; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D000096:Acetone; C035229:laurocapram; D019301:Oleic Acid; D008353:Mannitol; D011374:Progesterone; D019946:Propylene Glycol; D006854:Hydrocortisone