Abstract
A simple mathematical equation has been developed to predict drug flux through microporated skin. The theoretical model is based on an approach applied previously to water evaporation through leaf stomata. Pore density, pore radius and drug molecular weight are key model parameters. The predictions of the model were compared with results derived from a simple, intuitive method using porated area alone to estimate the flux enhancement. It is shown that the new approach predicts significantly higher fluxes than the intuitive analysis, with transport being proportional to the total pore perimeter rather than area as intuitively anticipated. Predicted fluxes were in good general agreement with experimental data on drug delivery from the literature, and were quantitatively closer to the measured values than those derived from the intuitive, area-based approach.
Highlights
The skin and its outer layer, the stratum corneum (SC), in particular, is a formidable barrier to the passive delivery of topical and transdermal drugs
It is shown that the new approach predicts significantly higher fluxes than the intuitive analysis, with transport being proportional to the total pore perimeter rather than area as intuitively anticipated
A key question when contemplating the application of a microporation technique to enhance topical/transdermal drug delivery is “how many pores, and of what dimension, are required to achieve the desired flux”? The simple, intuitive approach to make such a prediction is to assume that the flux achieved will equal that through an aqueous domain, the surface area of which equals that of the total pore area created
Summary
The skin and its outer layer, the stratum corneum (SC), in particular, is a formidable barrier to the passive delivery of topical and transdermal drugs. Predicted fluxes were in good general agreement with experimental data on drug delivery from the literature, and were quantitatively closer to the measured values than those derived from the intuitive, area-based approach.
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