No abstract

No abstract

The pharmacokinetics of dithranol (anthralin) and its triacetate were investigated by employing a method which determines the quantity of the drug that penetrated into single layers of the human skin in vivo. For this purpose, tritium-labeled dithranol or triacetyl-dithranol was incorporated into four different ointments. The ointments were applied to the skin and biopsies were taken after 10, 30, 100, and 1000 min. The horny layer was removed before biopsy by Scotch tape stripping. The biopsies were sliced horizontally and the tritium determined in each sample. Dithranol as well as its triacetate penetrated best from more hydropholic ointments (Vaseline and aqueous wool-wax-alcohol ointment). From hydrophilic ointments (polyethylene glycol ointment and aqueous hydrophilic cream), only poor penetration was observed. Dithranol penetrated in far greater amounts than its triacetate, and the two compounds revealed fundamentally different penetration kinetics in epidermis and dermis. The data indicate that the triacetate was not split into its parent compound, dithranol, in substantial quantity, as the data obtained show the criteria of two independent substances.

The penetration, permeation, and resorption of radioactively labelled 8-Methoxypsoralen was investigated in human skin. Siultaneously, the effects to time and ointment carrier on the penetration kinetics were ascertained. The carriers tested were: vaseline, aqueous wool-wax alcohol ointment, aqueous hydrophilic ointment and polyethylene glycol ointment. The absolute concentrations of 8-Methoxypsoralen were estimated in the horny layer, epidermis and dermis. With the most advantageous carrier, aqueous wool-wax alcohol ointment, 4-6X10(-5) M and 10(-5) M were attained in the epidermis and dermis, respectively. Moreover, it was shown that the substance penetrates rapidly (10 min) into the epidermis and dermis and the high concentrations reached constant over a period of 16 h. Only with a formulation of aqueous wool-wax alcohols is any accumulation at all achieved in the deeper areas of the horny layer. A uniform decrease in drug concentration with increasing depth of the horny layer is found with the other 3 vehicles, whereby slight variations in concentrations pertain from carrier to carrier. 4 h after local application, 8-Methoxypsoralen can be detected in the urine. Regardless of the ointment base employed, 8-Methoxypsoralen is no longer detectable in the urine 40 h after application. In comparison to the oral therapy, the same magnitude of percutaneous resorption into the central compartment is to be derived from the data, if half the body surface is treated locally.

Penetration studies of radiolabelled Triamcinolone acetonide from ointment or cream preparations revealed that in cases of normal as well as psoriatic skin 70-90% of the applied substance remains on the surface. Normal horny layer stores up to 30% of the steroid. Nevertheless, a rapid penetration into the living layers of the skin is observed, whereby the epidermal concentrations reach levels between 5-10(-6) and 3-10(-5) M (mol per liter of tissue). The excretion in the urine took more than 72 h after removal of the excess of substance from the skin. In psoriatic skin, the epidermal and dermal concentrations were 3-10 times higher than in normal skin. This increase lies in the same range as the one resulting from removal of the horny layer by stripping prior to the application, as reported earlier.