RESUMO
The percutaneous absorption of caffeine from two vehicles, an emulsion and an acetone solution, was quantified by in vivo techniques in humans. A surface recovery technique over a 6-h application and a stripping method after a 30-min application were performed on the volar aspect of the forearm on 12 volunteers. Caffeine was assessed by HPLC. Two phases were distinguished in the percutaneous absorption of caffeine: a higher filling up of the stratum corneum with the oil-in-water emulsion than with the acetone solution, which was then followed by a steady-state flux corresponding to the penetration in the living tissues. The permeability constants (Kp) with emulsion and acetone were 1.59 x 10(-4) and 9.53 x 10(-8) cm/h, respectively. The stripping method showed concentrations of caffeine in stratum corneum that were five times higher with emulsion (212 ng/cm2) than with acetone (37 ng/cm2). With acetone as a vehicle, approximately 40% of caffeine of the cornfield layer was found around the treated area. This sizeable lateral spread within the stratum corneum was not observed with the emulsion.
Assuntos
Cafeína/farmacocinética , Absorção Cutânea , Adulto , Epiderme/metabolismo , Feminino , Humanos , Técnicas In Vitro , MasculinoRESUMO
The effect of increased pressure, which is a mechanical property of massage, was investigated on the percutaneous absorption of an amphiphilic compound (caffeine) in vitro on Franz diffusion cells, using excised human skin. 50 microliters of either a 320 micrograms/ml or a 15 mg/ml acetone solution of caffeine were pipetted onto the surface of each skin sample, which represented caffeine skin deposits of 5 micrograms/cm2 and 240 micrograms/cm2 respectively. During each experiment, a pressure device delivering 0.25 bar over the atmospheric pressure was applied for the first 30 min on half of the cells. At 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24 h the aqueous dermal bathing solution, containing 14 g/l albumin, was removed and chromatographed. With the applied dose of 5 micrograms/cm2 no statistical difference was found between the cumulated absorbed amount under atmospheric pressure and increased pressure. On the other hand, with the applied dose of 240 micrograms/cm2, the permeation of caffeine was 1.8 times higher under increased pressure than the permeation under atmospheric pressure (p < 0.05). This enhancing effect of increased pressure was probably connected to either an improved transappendageal route during the percutaneous absorption process or a higher stratum corneum filling-up.