EFFECT OF ADDITIVES ON THE DIFFUSION OF KETOPROFEN THROUGH HUMAN SKIN

The influence of Carbopol(R) polymer, types C-934P and C-940, and the penetration enhancer oleic acid on transdermal permeation of ketoprofe n through a full-thickness human skin was investigated. Ketoprofen pat ches were fabricated; and permeation parameters such as the flux, perm eability coefficient, enhancement ratio, lag time, and partition coeff icients were determined. The results indicated a maximum flux of 7.778 mu g/cm(2)/hr from the patches made with C-934P when the oleic acid c oncentration was 35%. The enhancement ratio was 22.8. The maximum flux value for patches made from C-940 was obtained with 10% oleic acid. T he corresponding enhancement ratio was 34.25. The results indicated th at the concentration of oleic acid needed for maximum flux depends upo n the type of Carbopol polymer selected for the study. Further, ketopr ofen transdermal drug delivery systems can be fabricated to obtain a z ero-order release through human skin.