INTERACTION OF SKIN WITH SURFACTANT VESICLE COMPONENTS

Interactions of vesicles based on phospholipids and nonionic surfactan ts with hairless mouse skin were evaluated by measuring permeation of tritiated water through pretreated skin under standardized conditions. Skin was exposed to the vesicles, buffers (negative controls), and so dium lauryl sulfate solution (positive control) under both open (unocc luded) and closed (occluded) conditions. There was no difference in th e water permeation rate (WPR) between a freshly prepared skin membrane and one exposed to a pH 5 buffer. WPR was increased by reducing the p H to 2; treatment with the liposome preparation at this pH value cause d a significant further increase in WPR. Effects of the nonionic surfa ctant vesicles were of much smaller magnitude at pH 2. Both phospholip id and nonionic surfactant vesicles had a minor effect on WPR under op en conditions at pH 5.