Transungual drug delivery: current status.
Topical therapy is highly desirable in treating nail disorders due to its localized effects, which results in minimal adverse systemic events and possibly improved adherence. However, the effectiveness of topical therapies is limited by minimal drug permeability through the nail plate. Current research on nail permeation that focuses on altering the nail plate barrier by means of chemical treatments, penetration enhancers as well as physical and mechanical methods is reviewed. A new method of nail sampling is examined. Finally limitations of current ungual drug permeability studies are briefly discussed.
Elkeeb
Rania
R
Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0989, USA. relkeeb@yahoo.com
AliKhan
Ali
A
Elkeeb
Laila
L
Hui
Xiaoying
X
Maibach
Howard I
HI
D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009262:Nails / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D000935:Antifungal Agents