Tolerance and percutaneous absorption of topically applied arildone

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Dermatology
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Arildone is an investigational antiviral medication.
• Understanding its safety and absorption is crucial for clinical use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the cutaneous and systemic tolerance of arildone in vanishing cream versus a 90% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution.
• To evaluate the percutaneous absorption of arildone when formulated with these vehicles.

Main Methods:

• Immunosuppressed patients received topical arildone or vehicle formulations on their forearms.
• Formulations were applied four times daily for seven days.
• Blood, urine, and fecal samples were collected for absorption analysis; patients were monitored for tolerance.

Main Results:

• Arildone was sporadically detected in biological samples, indicating limited percutaneous absorption.
• Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) did not enhance arildone absorption.
• Vanishing cream vehicle showed excellent cutaneous tolerance.
• DMSO vehicle resulted in a 90% incidence of erythematous skin reactions.

Conclusions:

• Arildone is systemically well-tolerated.
• The vanishing cream vehicle is suitable for topical arildone application.
• The 90% DMSO vehicle is associated with significant cutaneous intolerance and is not recommended for arildone delivery.