A stochastic model for transepidermal drug delivery.
BACKGROUND
Topical drug application has been widely used to manage skin diseases as well as to treat a variety of local and systemic disorders. To evaluate the efficiency of transepidermal drug delivery, an efficient model is needed to study the process of percutaneous transport.


METHODS
A stochastic model based on Monte Carlo methods and Cellular Automata is presented in this work to study the molecular transport through the stratum corneum of the human skin, which is a typical process in transepidermal drug delivery.


METHODS
To validate the model, an in vitro experiment on percutaneous absorption of radioactive 17beta-estradiol was performed.


CONCLUSIONS
The simulation results agree with the experimental data.


CONCLUSIONS
The use and power of the presented approach in studying the process of transepidermal drug delivery were demonstrated.
Zhong
Wen
W
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Xing
Malcolm M Q
MM
Hui
Xiaoying
X
Maibach
Howard I
HI
D000042:Absorption / Q000502:physiology; D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D003198:Computer Simulation; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D013269:Stochastic Processes
D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D004967:Estrogens; D004958:Estradiol