Enhanced Penetration of Loxoprofen across Excised Guinea Pig Skin from Solution Formulations

용액 처방으로부터 록소프로펜의 기니아픽 피부 투과 증진

To develop a novel transdermal delivery system of loxoprofen (LP), a potent antiinflammatory and analgesic agent, the effects of various vehicles and penetration enhancers on the skin permeation of LP from solution formulations were investigated. The permeation rate of LP through excised guinea pig skin was measured using a side-by-side permeation system at $32^{\circ}C$. The solubilities of LP in various vehicles were determined by the equilibrium solubility method, and partition coefficients $(P_c)$ were determined. The solubility of LP increased in the rank order of water & isopropyl myristate (IPM) & glyceryl dicaprylate/dicaprate & propylene glycol dicaprylate/caprate & propylene glycol laurate (PGL) & polyethylene glycol 400 & diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (DGME) & ethanol. n-Octanol-water $P_c$ value was 15.5. Among pure vehicles tested, IPM and PGL showed highest fluxes of $89.9{\pm}5.0$ and $45.4{\pm}0.3\;{\mu}g/cm^2/hr$ from saturated solutions, respectively. However, it was not possible to demonstrate any correlation between the solubility of LP and its permeation rate, indicating the change in the barrier property of the skin and/or carrier mechanisms by vehicles tested. The addition of DGME to IPM or PGL markedly increased the solubility of LP, but the permeation rate did not decrease when the concentration of DGME in the cosolvent was increased upto 40%. The addition of linoleic acid (3%) in the cosolvent slightly increased the permeation rate, but others such as lauroyl sarcosine, fatty alcohols and fatty acids tested did not show enhancing effect. In conclusion, the DGME-IPM or DGME-PGL cosolvent system proved to be a good vehicle to enhance the skin permeation of LP.