Radioisotopic Studies on Percutaneous Absorption. I. Absorption of Water-soluble Substances from Hydrophilic and Absorption Ointments through Mouse Skin

The percutaneous absorbability of water-soluble substances from emulsion-type ointments was demonstrated by measuring the absorption of radioactivity after application of hydrophilic and absorption ointments containing Na131I, 59Fe-EDTA, 59Fe-tiron or 22NaCl to hairclipped mouse skin. The absorption of lipid-soluble 59Fe-cupferron and 59Fe-carbamate from these vehicles was quite small. The large promoting effect of polyethylene oleyl ether on the percutaneous absorption of 59Fe-EDTA from polyethylene glycol 1500 through mouse skin suggested some important contribution of surface-active agents to the percutaneous absorption of water-soluble substances from hydrophilic and absorption ointments.