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[Cutaneous absorption of chemicals]
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
|September 1, 1986
Summary
Dermal application offers a systemic drug delivery alternative when oral or hypodermic routes fail. Skin permeability depends on chemical properties and species-specific factors, making predictions challenging.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Dermatology
- Veterinary Medicine
Context:
- Chemicals are vital for animal and human health, with administration routes chosen based on desired action, patient factors, and drug properties.
- Dermal application serves as a valuable alternative route for systemic drug delivery when traditional methods are inadequate.
- Existing dermal formulations target diverse conditions in both humans and animals.
Purpose:
- To explore dermal drug delivery as an alternative to oral and hypodermic routes.
- To elucidate the mechanisms and factors influencing chemical penetration through the skin.
- To highlight the complexities and unpredictability of species-specific skin permeability.
Summary:
- The skin's barrier function is influenced by its morphology and lipid-rich intercellular spaces, which are not entirely hydrophobic.
- Chemicals must possess specific solubility, polarity, and ionization properties to penetrate the skin.
- Factors such as species, breed, gender, and environmental conditions significantly impact skin permeability, often in unpredictable ways.
Impact:
- Understanding skin penetration enhances the development of effective dermal drug formulations.
- Highlights the need for cautious extrapolation of dermal absorption data between species.
- Provides insights into optimizing drug delivery for improved therapeutic outcomes.