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Published on: March 1, 2017
Unexpected clobetasol propionate profile in human stratum corneum after topical application in vitro
Beat Mueller1, Yuri G Anissimov, Michael S Roberts
1Department of Medicine, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Australia.
Purpose:
The validity of using drug amount-depth profiles in stratum corneum to predict uptake of clobetasol propionate into stratum corneum and its transport into deeper skin layers was investigated.
Methods:
In vitro diffusion experiments through human epidermis were carried out using Franz-type glass diffusion cells. A saturated solution of clobetasol propionate in 20% (V/V) aqueous propylene glycol was topically applied for 48 h. Steady state flux was calculated from the cumulative amount of drug permeated vs. time profile. Epidermal partitioning was conducted by applying a saturated drug solution to both sides of the epidermis and allowing time to equilibrate. The tape stripping technique was used to define drug concentration-depth profiles in stratum corneum for both the diffusion and equilibrium experiments.
Results:
The concentration-depth profile of clobetasol propionate in stratum corneum for the diffusion experiment is biphasic. A logarithmic decline of the drug concentration over the first four to five tape strips flattens to a relatively constant low concentration level in deeper layers. The drug concentration-depth profile for the equilibrium studies displays a similar shape.
Conclusions:
The shape of the concentration-depth profile of clobetasol propionate is mainly because of the variable partitioning coefficient in different stratum corneum layers.
