Gerwin Jan Puppels

Monitoring the Penetration Enhancer Dimethyl Sulfoxide in Human Stratum Corneum in Vivo by Confocal Raman Spectroscopy

The stratum corneum (SC) barrier typically consists of nlayers of corneocytes embedded in a lipid continuum that nregulates barrier function. The lipid domain containing ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids provides the major pathway for most drugs permeating across SC. nPenetration enhancers diminish the SC barrier function. nThe classic enhancer is dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Its nmechanisms of action remain unclear, although DMSO disrupts lipid organisation and may displace protein-bound water. nHere we use confocal Raman spectroscopy to probe molecular interactions between a finite (depleting) dose of nDMSO and SC, as functions of depth and time, providing nnovel information about residence time and location of nDMSO in human SC in vivo