SESQUITERPENE COMPONENTS OF VOLATILE OILS AS SKIN PENETRATION ENHANCERS FOR THE HYDROPHILIC PERMEANT 5-FLUOROURACIL

Twelve sesquiterpene compounds, derived from natural volatile oils, we re investigated as putative skin penetration enhancers for human skin. Pretreatment of epidermal membranes with sesquiterpene oils, or solid sesquiterpenes saturated in dimethyl isosorbide, increased the rate o f absorption of the model hydrophilic permeant, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Enhancers with polar functional groups were generally more potent tha n pure hydrocarbons. Furthermore, enhancers with the least bunched str uctures were the most active. The largest effect was observed followin g pretreatment with nerolidol, which increased pseudo-steady-state 5-F U flux over 20-fold. Molecular modelling suggested that terpenes with structures suitable for alignment within lipid lamellae were the most potent enhancers. Sesquiterpene enhancers had long durations of action implying that they did not wash out of the skin easily. This study at tempted to improve enhancer clearance by replacing the aqueous donor a nd receptor phases by ethanol:water (1:1) solutions. Ethanol increased the permeability coefficient for 5-FU 13-fold, demonstrating that, in aqueous solution, it is a moderately potent penetration enhancer. Ses quiterpene and ethanol enhancement effects were approximately additive . Sesquiterpene effects were almost fully maintained for at least 45 d ays following pretreatment, illustrating poor reversibility. Stratum c orneum/water drug partitioning studies suggested that an important mec hanism of action of the enhancers was to increase the apparent drug di ffusivity in the stratum corneum. Increases in drug partitioning into the entire stratum corneum following enhancer pretreatment were relati vely small. Diffusivity increases were directly related to overall ris es in permeability. This study has shown that sesquiterpene compounds, which are of low toxicity and cutaneous irritancy, can promote 5-FU a bsorption across human skin. Sesquiterpene compounds, therefore, show promise as clinically-acceptable skin penetration enhancers.