Microemulsions as topical drug delivery vehicles: in-vitro transdermal studies of a model hydrophilic drug.

Microemulsions with a 58:42 weight ratio of dioctyl sodium sulphosuccinate: octanol and containing 15, 35, and 68% water have been tested for their ability to transport glucose across human cadaver skin. A flow-through multisample skin diffusion cell showed that both the 35 and 68% water microemulsions caused enhanced (approximately 30-fold) transport of glucose. No transport was discernible for the 15% water microemulsion. Differences in percutaneous glucose transport were shown to parallel differences in the diffusion of water within the microemulsion vehicles before application to the skin.