Transdermal Drug Delivery

Drugs can be delivered across the skin to have an effect on the tissues adjacent to the site of application (topical delivery) or to have an effect after distribution through the circulatory system (systemic delivery).  While there are many advantages to delivering drugs through the skin the barrier properties of the skin provide a significant challenge.  By understanding the mechanisms by which compounds cross the skin it will be possible to devise means for improving drug delivery. 
Some of the many factors that influence the rate of delivery of drugs across the skin include; the thermodynamic activity of the drug in the formulation; the interaction of the drug and the formulation with the skin; variations in skin with age, race, anatomical region and disease.  Research in transdermal drug delivery needs to address all of these factors. The types of study conducted at the Victorian College of Pharmacy include predominantly chemical studies, studies with model systems, in vitro studies with animal and human skin, and clinical studies in both humans and animals.

Specific projects include:

• Role of skin lipid arrangement in the barrier function of the stratum corneum
• Mechanism of action of chemical penetration enhancers
• The fate of substances applied to the skin:accounting for all of the applied material
• The effects of cosolvent systems on the penetration of drugs across the skin
• Regional variations in skin permeability
• The interactions of surfactants with the skin
• Penetration of nanoparticulate matter into the skin.