title: Comparison of blood flow to the cutaneous temperature and redness after topical application of benzyl nicotinate.
abstract: The topical application of drugs, such as nicotinates, affects cutaneous blood flow. Such a biological response, which is dependent on the drug and the individual, can be measured noninvasively using laser Doppler flowmetry. We illustrate the kinetics of vasodilation caused by topically applied benzyl nicotinate using a new frequency-selective laser Doppler flowmeter. This flowmeter measures the blood flow in the superficial dermal plexus and the deeper lying larger capillaries simultaneously and indirectly by determining the flow velocity. Both sets of data are compared with the skin temperature and redness. Four biological parameters are measured consecutively on a skin area treated with gel containing benzyl nicotinate and on an untreated control area. A linear relationship between both blood flows is observed. However, no correlation is obtained between the microcirculation with either the cutaneous temperature or the redness. These results indicate the transport of the drug in the blood from the upper to the deeper capillaries. Cutaneous temperature and redness are unsuitable parameters to measure the kinetics of the blood flow after topical application of drugs.
authors.affiliation: Charité-University Medizin Berlin, Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Center of Experimental and Applied Cutaneous Physiology, Schumannstrasse 20/21, Berlin, Germany 10117. ute.jacobi@charite.de
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Jacobi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koscielny
authors.forename: Rijk
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schütz
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meinke
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sterry
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lademann
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003124:Colorimetry; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D009539:Nicotinic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D009539:Nicotinic Acids; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; C025653:nicotinic acid benzyl ester