In vitro release/permeation studies of verapamil hcl from transdermal bases using cellulose membrane and hairless mouse skin

摘要

Verapamil Hydrochloride is a group IV antiarrhythmic agent belonging to the class of calcium channel blockers. It was the first drug in its class introduced in the United States for intravenous and oral use. However, due to the extensive first pass degradation, the oral doses of verapamil hydrochloride are high and are less defined than the intravenous doses. To develop an optimum controlled drug delivery system, the transport of verapamil hydrochloride through various dermatological formulations was evaluated using cellulose membrane and hairless mouse skin. These included: hydrophilic ointment (A), waterwashable (B) and hydrophilic petrolatum (C) USP, bases. In addition, the effects of various additive ingredients, such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), urea, ethylalcohol, propyleneglycol and polyethylene glycol 400 in enhancing the drug transport from these formulations were investigated.