Effect of Decylmethyl Sulfoxide on Skin Penetration

Abstract

The effect of decylmethyl sulfoxide on skin penetration has been determined for polar and nonpolar molecules. The data demonstrate a striking difference between the effect on transport for nonpolar and polar molecules. The transport of nonpolar molecules was slightly increased by surfactant treatment while transport of polar molecules was greatly increased. These results are consistent with the model that polar molecules penetrate through aqueous channels and surfactants interact with the protein to “open up” these channels. By studying the effects of a surfactant on the cutaneous transport of a molecule, one can therefore ascertain which transport pathway predominates. That is, surfactants in general do not significantly alter the nonpolar pathway, but work predominantly on the polar pathway.