Ocular evaluation of polyvinyl alcohol vehicle in rabbits.

The flow properties and viscosity of the vehicle into which drugs are incorporated can be determining factors in the bioavailability of topically applied ophthalmic drugs. It is shown, in rabbits, that when polyvinyl alcohol and methylcellulose are compared on a viscosity basis, there is essentially no difference in the two vehicles with regard to their influence on ocular drug bioavailability. Moreover, the rate of drainage loss for polyvinyl alcohol solutions, as determined by the radioactive technetium technique, compares favorably to methylcellulose solutions of similar viscosity. The relationship between viscosity and contact time or drainage loss of a drug is not a direct one, but an optimum viscosity range exists for polyvinyl alcohol solutions. This optimum range of 12-15 cps in rabbits is identical to that found for methylcellulose and differs considerably from the commonly employed viscosity in commercial preparations. Based on the methylcellulose-polyvinyl alcohol comparison, it appears that vehicles exhibiting or approximating Newtonian flow properties show comparable effects as ophthalmic vehicles. Finally, a discussion of non-Newtonian vehicles and their expected behavior in the eye is presented.