Enhancing effect of alpha-monoisostearyl glyceryl ether on the percutaneous penetration of indomethacin through excised rat skin

The enhancing effect of alpha -monoisostearyl glyseryl ether (GE-IS) on the percutaneous penetration of indomethacin (IM) from test solutions in propy lene glycol (PG) was investigated using the excised abdominal skin of rats in vitro. The percutaneous penetration of IM into diffusion cells was signi ficantly increased in the presence of 0.2% or 1% (w/w) GE-IS compared with enhancer-free PG solution. Permeation parameters of IM, such as lag time an d permeability coefficient, revealed that GE-IS significantly augmented the percutaneous penetration of IM from PG, These results strongly suggested t hat GE-IS functions as a penetration enhancer of IM through rat skin. To elucidate the mode of action of CE-IS as a penetration enhancer, the sol ubility of IM in the test solution and the percutaneous penetration of IM t hrough damaged skin from which the stratum corneum had been stripped were i nvestigated. The results suggested that GE-IS acts directly on the stratum corneum and alters the permeability of the skin.