title: Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide on the phase behavior of model stratum corneum lipid mixtures.
abstract: Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), an efficient transdermal enhancer, is proposed to alter the skin barrier by, at least partially, disturbing the lipid phase of the stratum corneum (SC). We have investigated, using differential scanning calorimetry and vibrational microspectroscopy, the effect of DMSO on the phase behavior of a lipid mixture formed by N-palmitoyl-d-erythro-sphingosine, deuterated palmitic acid, and cholesterol, mimicking the SC lipid phase. Our results reveal that DMSO favors the disordering of the lipid acyl chains. Moreover, the effect of DMSO is strongly concentration dependent and this dependence is reminiscent of that describing the DMSO transdermal enhancement. DMSO-induced fluidification affects primarily the fatty acid in the mixture. Therefore, it is proposed that the molecular mechanism of the transdermal transport enhancement caused by DMSO is associated with its H-bonding properties; its presence alters the interfacial H-bond network involving the fatty acid molecules and consequently the cohesive lipid packing.
authors: Department of Chemistry, Center for Self-Assembled Chemical Systems, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3J7, Canada.
authors: Sungjong
authors: S
authors: Kwak
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Lafleur
mesh_terms: D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004817:Epidermis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D019308:Palmitic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D044367:Phase Transition; D012997:Solvents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012997:Solvents; C481931:erythro-(2R,3S)-sphingosine; D019308:Palmitic Acid; D002784:Cholesterol; D013110:Sphingosine; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide