Topical and Transdermal Drug Delivery
2009; Elsevier BV; Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/b978-0-8155-2025-2.10001-0
AutoresS. Narasimha Murthy, H.N. Shivakumar,
Tópico(s)Dermatology and Skin Diseases
ResumoThis chapter discusses the topical and transdermal drug delivery systems. The human stratum corneum acts as a barrier for the permeation of a number of active substances. This has limited the number of molecules commercially available as transcutaneous delivery systems. Various strategies have been employed over the past few decades to optimize drug delivery across the skin. Approaches based on supersaturation, eutectic mixtures, prodrugs, and ion pairing have been used with success to improve the transdermal delivery of several poorly permeable compounds. Liposomes have been used as carriers of steroids, antifungals, and vaccines for cutaneous delivery. A substantial database has been generated on chemical penetration enhancers over the past few years, and the search for the ideal enhancers has been the prime focus of many research groups. The efficacy of a passive approach to enhance transdermal drug delivery is known to diminish with increasing size of the active substance. Therefore, the limited potential of these passive techniques to facilitate the delivery of macromolecules has given way to various device-based physical enhancement techniques such as iontophoresis, electoporation, sonophoresis, and microneedles. Iontophoresis is a technique that involves application of low-intensity electric current to skin to enhance the permeation of therapeutic agents. In spite of the emergence of several aggressive active enhancement methods, the demand for passive transdermal technologies to deliver smaller molecules continues to prevail. The prime reason for this is their safety and efficacy during long-term treatment, resulting in improved patient acceptance and compliance compared to the physical enhancement techniques.
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