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The Effect Of Selected Adjuvants On The In Vitro Percutaneous Penetration Of Benzocaine, See-Yan Lam

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This research project was designed to test whether the in vitro percutaneous penetration of benzocaine through human cadaver skin could be enhanced by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), urea, polyoxyethylene (20) isohexadecyl ether and 1-dodecylazacycloheptan-2-one (Azone) in propylene glycol/water systems. Solubility and partitioning of benzocaine in propylene glycol/water systems was investigated. The adjuvant effects were studied in a 60/40 (V/V) propylene glycol/water co-solvent system. The well known drug penetration enhancer dimethyl sulfoxide did not enhance the penetration of benzocaine at any concentration level of DMSO under the conditions of the experiment. This lack of enhancement effect was probably due to increased solubility …