Evaluation of the Water Content and Skin Permeability of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in Ketoprofen Poultice Formulations Removed from Their Airtight Containers and Left at Room Temperature.

The poultice formulation is a patch containing a large amount of water. It is known that the water contained in the adhesive polymer layer (ADPL) of poultice affects the cooling sensation and skin permeability of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). In this study, we evaluated the relationship between the water content in a ketoprofen poultice formulation and the amount of time the poultice was left out at room temperature after removal from the airtight container, as well as the influence of the decreasing water content on the skin permeability of the API. After removing the poultice from the container for 1 h, the mass of the ADPL decreased by approximately 40%. When the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum of the ADPL of poultice was measured, the peaks reflecting the hydroxyl group were attenuated depending on the time left out at room temperature. It is suggested that the changes in the mass and NIR spectrum of the ADPL are caused by the change in the water content. Moreover, when the permeability of API was evaluated on hairless mouse skin, the cumulative skin permeation amount and flux decreased, while the lag time was prolonged as the time left out increased. These results suggest that the skin permeability of the API is impaired by water evaporation and that maintaining the water in the ADPL in poultice is very important from not only the viewpoint of cooling sensation, tackiness and moisturizing but also the skin permeability of the API.

Region-dependent role of the mucous/glycocalyx layers in insulin permeation across rat small intestinal membrane.

The regional difference in the contribution of the mucous/glycocalyx layers in rat small intestine, as a diffusional or enzymatic barrier, to the absorption of insulin was investigated by in vitro studies. The mucous/glycocalyx layers from the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum in rat were successfully removed without damaging membrane integrity, by exposing them to a hyaluronidase solution in situ. In an in vitro transport experiment, the apparent permeability coefficient (P(app)) of insulin for the hyaluronidase-pretreated group was significantly increased compared to the PBS-pretreated (control) group in all small intestinal regions, and the P(app) of insulin in both PBS- and hyaluronidase-pretreated groups increased in the following order: duodenum < jejunum < ileum. On the other hand, irrespective of small intestinal regions, the P(app) of FD-4 and of antipyrine, respectively the passive para- and transcellular permeation marker, exhibited no significant differences between PBS- and hyaluronidase-pretreated group. In addition, a significant amount of insulin was degraded in the mucous/glycocalyx layers compartment removed by hyaluronidase pretreatment, and the degradation activity in the mucous/glycocalyx layers showed regional differences in the following order: duodenum > jejunum > ileum. These findings suggest that, irrespective of small intestinal regions, the mucous/glycocalyx layers contributed to insulin permeation predominantly as an enzymatic barrier, and not as a diffusional barrier. Furthermore, the variation of the enzymatic activities in the mucous/glycocalyx layers and in the brush-border membrane would be one factor that accounts for the regional differences in the transport of insulin.

The effects of water-soluble cyclodextrins on the histological integrity of the rat nasal mucosa.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of highly water-soluble cyclodextrins (CDs) on the histological integrity of the nasal mucosa. In order to evaluate their effects, the in vivo single and repeated nasal exposure studies were performed using male Wistar rats. The rat nasal cavity was excised after an application of various CD solutions at different times. The morphological appearances of the rat nasal mucosae were analyzed with the light microscopic and the scanning electron microscopic studies. By utilizing 5-min exposure of each CD solution to the nasal mucosa, no tissue damage was visible for 1.5% w/v beta-CD and 5 and 20% w/v hydroxypropyl beta-CD (HP beta-CD), and the effects were quite similar to controls. However, using 20% w/v randomly methylated beta-CD (RM beta-CD) showed severe damage on the integrity of nasal mucosa. The severity was similar to 1% w/v polyoxyethylene-9-lauryl ether or l% w/v sodium deoxycholate. Meanwhile, 30 or 60 min exposure to 10% w/v HP beta-CD or RM beta-CD resulted in no obvious mucosal damage. In addition, in vivo repeated dosing of RM beta-CD did not show any toxicity up to 20% w/v. These results suggest that at least, less than 10% w/v CD solutions do not induce gross tissue damage and can keep the histological integrity of the nasal mucosa.