A Study on the Absorption Mechanism of Drugs through Biomembranes

The effect of lipophilicity on the mechanisms of drug absorption through biomembranes was investigated empolying HPLC system and the fluorescence technique. Human erythrocyte ghost membranes were used as a model biomembrane. A series of four parabens (methyl, ethyl, rpopyl, and butyl) and p-hydroxybenzoic acid were used as the model drugs for lipophilicities and their partition coefficients were measured in Sorensen's phosphate buffer solution (pH 5)/octanol system. Absorption amount of parabens through erythrocyte ghost membranes increased with an increase of lipophilicity resulted from the addition of methylene group to the n-alkyl chain of parabens. And the effect of parabens on the fluidity of ghost membrane also increased with an increase of their lipophilicities.