Enhanced delivery of mitomycin C derivatives through hairless mouse and rat skins.

The percutaneous permeation characteristics of two lipophilic mitomycin C derivatives with aromatic moieties were determined using excised hairless mouse and rat skins and compared with those of mitomycin C (MMC). 1a-N-Benzylmitomycin C penetrated more readily through both kinds of skin than MMC without metabolic conversion. 1a-N-Benzyloxycarbonylmitomycin C effected a 4-fold increase in the delivery of MMC through the rat skin and was completely converted to MMC by an enzyme in rat skin. However, saturation of the metabolic conversion activity was observed in the hairless mouse skin.