Ether-water partitioning and permeability through nude mouse skin in vitro. II. Hydrocortisone 21-n-alkyl esters, alkanols and hydrophilic compounds

The permeability coefficients obtained by means of an infinite dose diffusion cell system with nude mouse skin in vitro were compared to the ether-water partition coefficients of the following compounds: glucose, urea, glycerol, thiourea, alkanols (methanol to octanol), hydrocortisone and hydrocortisone 21-n-alkyl esters (-acetate to -heptanoate). The permeability coefficients ranged from 1.0 x 10 -6 cm/h (glucose) to 0.34 cm/h (hydrocortisone-21-heptanoate). The ether-water partition coefficients ranged between 9.0 X 1 0 6 (glucose) and 1.4 x 104 (hydrocortisone-21-heptanoate). No general pattern emerged when the permeability coefficient is taken as a function of the ether-water partition coefficient for these compounds. Therefore the skin can not be regarded as a simple lipoidal barrier.