A physiological pharmacokinetic model for solute disposition in tissues below a topical below a topical application site.

PURPOSE: Many compounds are applied to the skin with the aim of targeting deeper underlying tissues. This work sought to define the pharmacokinetics of solutes in tissues below a topical application site in terms of perfusate binding, tissue binding and perfusate flow rate.
METHODS: The disposition kinetics of diclofenac in a single pass perfused limb preparation after dermal application disposition was studied using dextran and bovine serum albumin (BSA) containing perfusates. A pharmacokinetic model was then developed to relate the tissue retention half lives for diclofenac, diazepam, water, lignocaine and salicylate to their fraction unbound in the tissues, their fraction unbound in the perfusate and the perfusate flow rate.
RESULTS: Diclofenac had estimated tissue retention half lives of 18.1 hr and 3.5 hr for the dextran and BSA containing perfusates, respectively. The fraction of diclofenac and other solutes unbound in the tissues correlated with their corresponding fraction unbound in the perfusate. The tissue retention half lives for diclofenac and other solutes could be described in terms of the fraction of solute unbound in the tissues and perfusate, together with the flow rate.
CONCLUSION: The tissue pharmacokinetics of solutes below a topical application are a function of their binding in the tissues, binding in perfusate and local blood flow.