INCREASE OF THE CUTANEOUS BIOAVAILABILITY OF HYDROCORTISONE ACETATE USING A MICROEMULSION AS VEHICLE.
MIRELA MOLDOVAN1, S.E.LEUCUŢA2, A.BAKRI3
1,2 University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iuliu Haţieganu, Department of Dermopharmacy and Cosmetics (1) and Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics (2), Faculty of Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, 13, Emil Isac Street, 400023, Romania
3University Joseph Fourier, Formulation and pharmaceutical engineering, GRNR, INSERM 3-40, Faculty of Pharmacy, 5 Avenue du Verdun, BP 138, 38243, Grenoble, France
*Correspondence: tel. 0040 264 450531 e-mail mmoldovan@umfcluj.ro

Abstract:

The influence of the vehicle on the in vitro release and on the skin permeation of hydrocortisone acetate (HA) from topical preparations was evaluated. Two formulations were prepared: a microemulsion which had 0.1% HA dissolved in the microemulsion and oil in water emulsion having 0.1% of HA incorporated as suspension. In vitro drug release was performed using a modified Franz diffusion cell through a semipermeable membrane, using water as receiver medium. The in vivo skin penetration of HA was appreciated at two levels: at stratum corneum level by analyzing the drug concentration in stratum corneum removed after formulations’ application by tape stripping method and at dermis level when the degree of whitening produced after the removal of the tested formulation was evaluated. For the in vitro and in vivo tests HA was analyzed by HPLC. The results of the in vitro drug release and its percutaneous absorption showed that highest values of drug from microemulsion were assured. The microemulsion may be considered as an appropriate vehicle for HA topical drug delivery.

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