Methodological positioning of transdermal microdialysis technique for investigation of drug penetration across the cutaneous barrier

Franciska Erdo

Methodological positioning of transdermal microdialysis technique for investigation of drug penetration across the cutaneous barrier

Franciska Erdo

Pazmany Peter Catholic University, Hungary

: J Pharm Drug Deliv Res

Abstract

In vivo microdialysis is a widely used technique for monitoring the biochemical changes in the extracellular fluid in a target tissue. There are many types of this methodology depending on the purpose of application (pharmacokinetic/ pharmacodynamic studies; biomarker studies, membrane transporter and drug-drug interaction studies etc.), on the target tissue and on the species tested. The first applications were focused on the brain and the neurotransmitters in rodents. Later on many other organs were tested including the skin in different species. During the last decades transdermal microdialysis technique developed very fast and the number of papers reporting its application in drug research and development increased dramatically. The major advantage of dermal microdialysis is that the preclinical and clinical investigations of topical drug administration can be performed in parallel because of its minimally invasive characteristics. For examination of dermal drug delivery and the influence of different penetration enhancer techniques or additives, furthermore comparisons of new drug formulations are all possible by skin microdialysis method. Multiple-probe microdialysis approaches make it possible to study free, pharmacologically active drug concentrations in different organs or in the blood simultaneously with the cutaneous monitoring. This model will be presented, critically evaluated and positioned in the toolbox of different in vivo and in vitro methods for testing dermatopharmacokinetic profile of topically or systemically administered test compounds.