EFFECT OF PERFUSION FLOW-RATE ON THE TISSUE UPTAKE OF SOLUTES AFTER DERMAL APPLICATION USING THE RAT ISOLATED-PERFUSED HINDLIMB PREPARATION

The rat perfused hindlimb preparation was investigated as a model to s tudy the dermal clearance and tissue distribution of three solutes wit h differing physicochemical properties ([H-3]water, [H-3]diazepam, and [C-14]lignocaine). The dermal clearance of each solute increased and the depth of tissue preparation decreased with increasing perfusion fl ow rate. The half-life for solute efflux from tissues into perfusate, and the peak times for amount of solute in tissue were in the order wa ter > lignocaine > diazepam. Topical iontophoresis, which has previous ly been shown to achieve similar clearances from topical sites to thos e seen following passive dermal application, resulted in a clearance o f lignocaine in the perfused hindlimb comparable with that obtained in the preparation following passive absorption through exposed dermis. The distribution of capillary blood flow in the perfused hindlimb was quantified using Cr-51-labelled 15-mu m microspheres, with greater inc reases in flow found in deeper muscle tissues with increasing perfusio n flow rate compared with superficial layers. Microsphere studies in a naesthetized rats also demonstrate slight differences in the distribut ion of flow within the hindlimb compared with the perfused preparation . We conclude that the rat perfused hindlimb preparation successfully combines many of the advantages of in-vitro and in-vivo methods and ha s potential for routine use in the study of solute dermal absorption k inetics.