title: Dermic diffusion and stratum corneum: a state of the art review of mathematical models.
abstract: Transdermal biotechnologies are an ever increasing field of interest, due to the medical and pharmaceutical applications that they underlie. There are several mathematical models at use that permit a more inclusive vision of pure experimental data and even allow practical extrapolation for new dermal diffusion methodologies. However, they grasp a complex variety of theories and assumptions that allocate their use for specific situations. Models based on Fick's First Law found better use in contexts where scaled particle theory Models would be extensive in time-span but the reciprocal is also true, as context of transdermal diffusion of particular active compounds changes. This article reviews extensively the various theoretical methodologies for studying dermic diffusion in the rate limiting dermic barrier, the stratum corneum, and systematizes its characteristics, their proper context of application, advantages and limitations, as well as future perspectives.
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto (ESTSP), Instituto Politécnico do Porto (IPP), 4400-330 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Couto
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto (ESTSP), Instituto Politécnico do Porto (IPP), 4400-330 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal; Escola Superior de Estudos Industriais e de Gestão (ESEIG), Instituto Politécnico do Porto (IPP), 4480-876 Vila do Conde, Portugal; Centre of Pharmacology and Chemical Biopathology, (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rúben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: REQUIMTE/Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: M Natália S
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior de Estudos Industriais e de Gestão (ESEIG), Instituto Politécnico do Porto (IPP), 4480-876 Vila do Conde, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sara S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: APDP-Diabetes Portugal (Departamento: ERC-Education and Research Center), Rua do Salitre, 118-120, 1250-203 Lisboa, Portugal; CEDOC (Chronic Diseases Research Center-FCM-NOVA), Campo Mártires da Pátria, 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rogério T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto (ESTSP), Instituto Politécnico do Porto (IPP), 4400-330 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal; Escola Superior de Estudos Industriais e de Gestão (ESEIG), Instituto Politécnico do Porto (IPP), 4480-876 Vila do Conde, Portugal; REQUIMTE/Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: ana.cristina.pessoa@eu.ipp.pt.
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pessoa
mesh_terms: D004058:Diffusion; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D012869:Skin Absorption
keywords: Fick's Law; Hybrid approach; Mathematical diffusion models; Sensors; Transdermal diffusion