Modified TEWL in vitro measurements on transdermal patches with different additives with regard to water vapour...

Water vapour permeability (WVP) and water absorption capacity (WAC) influence physicochemical properties and wearability of transdermal patches considerably. For determination of WVP, a modified transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurement was developed. These measurements continuously measure WVP of transdermal patches in vitro along with time required to reach steady state, and its magnitude according to the type of polymer used. Additionally, WAC of the patches was examined and related to WVP. According to literature in the field of WVP determination, usually selected points are taken from the evaporation time curve and averaged over a given time span without knowing whether steady state has already been reached or not. The latter causes errors upon averaging. The advantage of the in vitro TEWL measurement presented includes reproducibly adjustable conditions for every time span desired, thus providing information on the kinetics of the experiment and avoiding biased results from averaging. Knowing the shape of the evaporation time curve and thus the kinetics of the experiment allows for focusing on the relevant part of the measurement, i.e. the determination of the steady state level and the time to reach it. Four different polymers (P1-P4) based on sugar-modified polyacrylates were investigated with regard to WVP and WAC of the matrices prepared thereof along with the influence of drug loading and the incorporation of a variety of additives commonly used for transdermal patches. A clear correlation between WVP and the hydrophilicity in terms of the number of free hydroxyl groups of the polymer was elaborated. Additives of higher hydrophilicity compared to that of the polymer itself led to higher WVPs and vice versa. The combination of the model drug lidocaine in its free base form together with the additive succinic acid (Suc) resulted in ionization of the drug and thus in substantially increased WVPs. Addition of α-tocopherol acetate (Toc) into P3 and P4 and Suc into the drug-free matrix of P3 decreased WVP probably by affecting the structure of the polymer network. The same effects were found for WAC upon incorporation of succinic acid into drug-loaded matrices of P3 and P4 (drug-loaded patches of P1 and P2 were not tested) but not for additives which were likely to modify the polymer network structure.