The isolated perfused porcine skin flap: III. Percutaneous absorption pharmacokinetics of organophosphates, steroids, benzoic acid, and caffeine

The isolated perfused porcine skin flap (IPPSF) has been developed as an alternative in vitro tool for examining the pharmacokinetics and mechanisms of percutaneous absorption. In this study, dosing solutions of seven 14C-radiolabeled compounds representing three chemical classes—organic acid/base [benzoic acid (B), caffeine (C)], organophosphate (OP) pesticides (diisopropylfluorophosphidate, malathion, parathion), and steroid hormones (progesterone, testosterone)—were prepared in ethanol and applied topically at a surface concentration of 40 μg cm −2 to the IPPSF. A three-compartment pharmacokinetic model used to simulate mass transfer from the surface (C 1), diffusion through epidermis and dermis (C 2), and transfer into the capillary perfusate (C 3), was developed based on flux through the IPPSF from 0 to 8 hr. This basic model accurately simulated measured IPPSF fluxes for five of seven compounds, including the OPs and steroids. The model was modified to simulate the shunting of drug to fast and slow release pathways, which occurred for B 3–4 hr postapplication, and to account for flow-dependent flux increases seen for C at 6 hr postapplication. The latter may be due to a direct pharmacologic effect, since C is a known vasodilator. Extrapolated (to 6 days) areas under the curve from the model simulations were compared with in vivo percutaneous absorption estimates, obtained from 6-day excretion studies in pigs. The in vivo-in vitro correlation, based on simple linear regression across compounds, was excellent ( R 2 = 0.88, R = 0.94, p < 0.002). These results suggest that xenobiotic penetration in the 8-hr IPPSF experiments is highly predictive of in vivo absorption totals (6-day studies). In addition, since pig and human skin are similar physiologically and pharmacologically, the IPPSF may eventually have applications in formulating human dermal risk assessment models.