RECONSTRUCTED EPIDERMAL MODELS AS A POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OF EXCISED HUMAN SKIN FOR ASSESSING IN VITRO PERCUTANEOUS ABSORPTION.

• TR Number: 201
• Authors: Zghoul, N., Wagner, H., Lehr, C-M., Schaefer, U. Department of Biopharmaceutics and Pharm. Technology, Saarland University D-66123 Saarbruecken, Germany.

Until now there is no general guideline to study the penetration of foreign substances into the skin and there are several in vitro models to study topical dermatological dosage forms. Excised human skin has proven to be one of the most suitable models, but because of its limited availability and the high donor rariability it cannot be routinely used for percutaneous absorption studies. Nowadays more and more reconstructed skin models are commercially obtainable. The use of three dimensional reconstructed skin as a model for drug penetration is to be investigated and compared to excised human skin.