Assessment of skin absorption and irritation potential of arachidonic acid and glyceryl arachidonate using in vitro diffusion cell techniques.

Arachidonic acid (AA), a precursor of pro-inflammatory mediators, and its glycerin ester, glyceryl arachidonate (GA), are reportedly used in cosmetic products. In vitro skin penetration of AA and GA and GA's ester hydrolysis was determined in flow-through diffusion cells. AA penetration with human and rat skin was 19.5% and 52.3% of the applied dose respectively, a substantial amount of which remained in the skin at 24h. Similar penetration results were obtained with GA in human skin. However, GA penetration through cultured skin (EpiDerm) was 51% of the applied dose, almost all of which appeared in the receptor fluid. At least 27.8% of GA penetrating skin was hydrolyzed to AA. In vitro methods were used to assess skin irritation in diffusion cells. Skin irritation of AA, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and Tween 80 was determined by changes in transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin viability (3-(4,5-dimethylthiaxol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, MTT, formation), and cytokine release (IL-1alpha). SLS irritation was much less pronounced in an emulsion versus an aqueous vehicle. No significant irritation was observed in vitro from AA in an emulsion. This work predicts that AA would penetrate human skin in vivo and that it could be formed in skin from topically applied GA.

In vitro human skin penetration of diethanolamine.

Concerns about the safety of diethanolamine (DEA) have been raised by the National Toxicology Program (NTP). Therefore, we measured the extent of DEA absorption in human skin relevant to exposures from shampoos, hair dyes and body lotions. Radiolabeled [14C]-DEA was added to two commercial products from each class and applied to excised viable and non-viable human skin in flow-through diffusion cells. The products remained on the skin for 5, 30 and 24 h for shampoos, hair dyes and body lotions, respectively. After 24 h, most of the absorbed dose was found in skin: 2.8% for shampoos, 2.9% for hair dyes and 10.0% for body lotions. Only small amounts were absorbed into the receptor fluid: 0.08%, 0.09% and 0.9% for shampoos, hair dyes and body lotions respectively. There was no significant difference in the absorption of DEA through viable and non-viable skin or from product application doses of 1, 2 or 3 mg lotion/cm2. In 72 h daily repeat dose studies with a lotion, DEA appeared to accumulate in the skin (29.2%) with little diffusing out into the receptor fluid. Therefore, skin levels of DEA should not be included in estimates of systemic absorption used in exposure assessments.

The effects of an alpha hydroxy acid (glycolic acid) on hairless guinea pig skin permeability.

The barrier integrity of hairless guinea pig skin after treatment with an alpha hydroxy acid was assessed through in vivo topical application of an oil-in-water emulsion containing 5 or 10% glycolic acid at pH 3.0. The control was a commercial moisturizing lotion, pH 7.8. A dosing regimen for the glycolic acid formulations that was tolerated by the hairless guinea pigs and significantly decreased stratum corneum turnover time was determined using the dansyl chloride staining technique. Once-daily dosing of hairless guinea pig skin for 3 weeks with the glycolic acid formulations resulted in approximately a 36-39% decrease in stratum corneum turnover time compared with the control lotion. After this treatment, hairless guinea pigs were sacrificed for the in vitro measurement of the percutaneous absorption of [14C]hydroquinone and [14C]musk xylol. No significant differences in the 24-hour absorption of either test compound were found for skin treated with the control lotion or the glycolic acid formulations. There were also no significant differences found in the absorption of [3H]water through skin from the different treatment groups. Although no increase in skin penetration occurred after treatment with the glycolic acid formulations, histology revealed approximately a twofold increase in epidermal thickness. Also the number of nucleated cell layers nearly doubled in skin treated with 5% and 10% glycolic acid compared with the control lotion and untreated skin. These studies demonstrate that substantial changes in the structure of hairless guinea pig epidermis can occur without significant effect on skin permeability of two model compounds.

Percutaneous absorption of trinitrobenzene: animal models for human skin.

The percutaneous absorption of 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNB) was studied in viable skin from hairless guinea pigs (HGP), Fischer 344 rats and humans. Skin was dermatomed and assembled in flow-through diffusion cells followed by TNB application in either an acetone or a water vehicle. Skin absorption was expressed as the percentage of applied dose absorbed into skin and receptor fluid within 24 h. Rapid absorption of TNB by rodent skin was obtained with both vehicles. For HGP skin, TNB absorption was 72.7+/-5.5% in the acetone vehicle and 82.3+/-4.5% in the water vehicle. For rat skin, TNB absorption was 61.0+/-4.1% (acetone) and 66.5+/-4.1% (water). Absorption of TNB from acetone was significantly reduced (38.0+/-11.0%, P = 0.0118) in human skin, but absorption from water remained high (75.5+/-10.8%). Little TNB remained in skin when a thin (200 microm) dermatome section was used (HGP and human skin). A thicker dermatome section was required (350 microm) with haired rat skin, and 13-21% of the absorbed radioactivity remained in the skin at 24 h. Rodent skin did not simulate satisfactorily the barrier properties of human skin when TNB absorption was reduced by application in a volatile solvent.

Metabolism of benzocaine during percutaneous absorption in the hairless guinea pig: acetylbenzocaine formation and activity.

The effect of dose and enzymatic inhibition on the percutaneous absorption and metabolism of benzocaine was studied in vitro in the hairless guinea pig. At the dose level of 2 micrograms/cm2, benzocaine was rapidly absorbed and extensively metabolized (80%) by acetyltransferase. As the applied dose of benzocaine was increased to 40 and 200 micrograms/cm2, N-acetylation of benzocaine decreased to 44 and 34%, respectively, suggesting saturation of the acetyltransferase system. Total 14C absorption after benzocaine application was not significantly different between control and enzyme-inhibited skin and therefore does not appear to be affected by the extent of benzocaine metabolism during percutaneous penetration. Skin provides a significant first-pass metabolic effect for therapeutic doses of percutaneously absorbed benzocaine, and the primary metabolite formed, acetylbenzocaine, is biologically active.

Influence of metabolism in skin on dosimetry after topical exposure.

Metabolism of chemicals occurs in skin and therefore should be taken into account when one determines topical exposure dose. Skin metabolism is difficult to measure in vivo because biological specimens may also contain metabolites from other tissues. Metabolism in skin during percutaneous absorption can be studied with viable skin in flow-through diffusion cells. Several compounds metabolized by microsomal enzymes in skin (benzo[a]pyrene and 7-ethoxycoumarin) penetrated human and hairless guinea pig skin predominantly unmetabolized. However, compounds containing a primary amino group (p-aminobenzoic acid, benzocaine, and azo color reduction products) were substrates for acetyltransferase activity in skin and were substantially metabolized during absorption. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model has been developed with an input equation, allowing modeling after topical exposure. Plasma concentrations in the hairless guinea pig were accurately predicted for the model compound, benzoic acid, from in vitro absorption, metabolism, and other pharmacokinetic parameters.

Development of a colonic release capsule dosage form and the absorption of insulin.

Since the colon is relatively low in peptidase activity and drainage into the lymphatics is maximized, a peroral dosage form was developed to deliver insulin to the colon. Microemulsions, used as a vehicle for insulin, were gelled using Cab-O-Sil, and filled into gelatin capsules pretreated with formaldehyde vapor. The capsules were coated with Eudragit NE 30 D, Eudragit S100 and cellulose acetate phthalate polymers of pH-dependent and time-controlled release mechanisms. In vitro dissolution profiles of the capsule coating, using sodium salicylate as the marker, show that dissolution of the capsule begins at 4 h, at pH 5.5, and is completed at 8 h, at pH 7.7, simulating the gastrointestinal transit and pH profile of the dog. An in vivo crossover study in beagle dogs was carried out employing the following treatments: i.v. insulin, p.o. insulin microemulsion and colonic release capsule dosage form without insulin (CRC), were used as controls, a colonic release capsule dosage form with insulin (CRI) and additionally with sodium laurylsulfate (CRIL) or aprotinin (CRIA) as sorption promoter and enzyme inhibitor, respectively. Evaluation was done by measuring the reduction in blood glucose concentration levels. The pharmacological availability (P.A.) is the ratio of the area under the baseline curve (AUC), expressed as percent glucose reduction from baseline vs time, of the p.o. dosage forms to i.v. insulin administration, corrected for body weight and dose size. The P.A. for the p.o. microemulsion, CRC, CRI, CRIL and CRIA were 2.1, 0.4, 5.0, 2.7 and 6.2%, respectively. Insulin release occurred throughout the GI tract, with the exception of the stomach. Tmax occurred at 6.4 h for CRIA; the majority of insulin is taken up after the colonic arrival time is reached in the dog (4-6 h). Duration of the reduction in blood glucose levels occurred for 14 h with the CRIA dosage form.