X-Message-Number: 9500
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1998 13:25:15 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: menthol increases skin permeability to mannitol 100 fold

Chem. Pharm. Bull. 40(11): 3097-3099 1992
"Effect of l-Menthol on the Permeation of Indomethacin, Mannitol and
Cortisone through Excised Hairless Mouse Skin"

Abstract:

   The effect of l-menthol on the skin permability of mannitol, cortisone
or indomethacin was examined by an in vitro penetration technique with
hairless mouse skin. The donor solution was prepared with phosphate
buffered saline, ethanol:buffered saline (20:80, v/v) or ethanol:buffered
saline (20:80, v/v) containing 1% (w/v) l-menthol. Although ethanol showed
little enhancing effect, l-menthol in an aqueous ethanol vehicle at pH 7.4
increased the permeability coefficients of mannitol and indomethacin by
about 100 times that of the control (an aqueous vehicle) and increased that
of cortisone by about 10 times. l-Menthol, however, scarcely enhanced the
penetration of indomethacin at pH 3.0, the majority of the species being in
unionized form. These results suggested that the menthol-ethanol-aqueous
system enhanced skin permeability through a direct effect on the polar
and/or lipid pathways, while the thermodynamic activity of the penetrant
molecule in the delivery vehicle might also influence the effectiveness of
the penetration enhancer.

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=9500