Chemical transdermal enhancers mechanisms

A new generation of transdermal drug delivery (TDD) system was developed to contain one or more skin permeation enhancers in the surface adhesive coating layers. This TDD system has been found, experimentally, to release the enhancers to the surface of stratum corneum to modify the skin s barrier properties, prior to the controlled delivery of the active drug. The extent of enhancement in skin permeability appears to be dependent upon the chemical structure of drug to be delivered transdermally as well as the type and the concentration of enhancer used. The mechanism of skin permeation enhancement have been explored and are analyzed in this report. 

To further illustrate the mechanisms of chemically and physically enhanced transdermal transport, a transdermal transport model will be discussed here. Generally, the permeability of the stratum corneum can be divided into parallel lipoidal and pore pathway... 

Terpenes, as constituents present in plant essential oUs, have been investigated as chemical enhancers in transdermal drug deUveiy. In particular, monoterpenes were generally more efficacious probably due to their small molecular sizes. The main mechanisms of action of terpenes on the skin as determined by several analytical... 

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