title: Plasma concentrations of betamethasone after topical application of betamethasone 17-valerate: comparison with oral administration.
abstract: Plasma concentrations of betamethasone were measured by r.i.a. after oral administration of 0.6 mg betamethasone and topical application of betamethasone 17-valerate in the same five healthy subjects. Betamethasone 17-valerate was prepared as a suspension in medical grade pressure sensitive adhesive and applied to a 100 cm2 area on the back for 28 h. Mean maximum plasma concentrations were 5.0 and 0.24 ng ml-1 and mean AUC values were 75.4 and 7.74 ng ml-1 h after oral and topical administrations, respectively. The mean plasma elimination half-life of betamethasone after the removal of topical betamethasone 17-valerate was 16.6 h which was twice that after oral administration, 8.1 h. Betamethasone 17-valerate may require application to the skin more than twice daily.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, 94143-0989.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huttinot
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: H I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Maibach
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001624:Betamethasone Valerate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D001623:Betamethasone; D001624:Betamethasone Valerate