[Quantitative aspects of the percutaneous uptake of wool wax alcohols (cetyl alcohol) and paraffins (octadecane) from different ointment bases].

Since topical vehicles are partly responsible for the effects of active agents--both the wanted and the unwanted effects--attempt was made to obtain quantitative data on the possible penetration of cetyl alcohol contained in an aqueous hydrophilie cream (DAB 8) and in a wool fat alcohol ointment (lanoline) (DAB 8). Also the behaviour of the long-chained hydrocarbon, paraffin (octadecan), in these vehicles and in petrolatum (DAB 8) was studied. We found that the emulsifying agent in a W/O emulsion was detectable in the epidermis in low concentrations after 100 min, but the same agent in O/W emulsions only after 1000 min. It is, therefore, unlikely that cetyl alcohol penetrates the intact skin in allergicologically relevant concentrations. However, with diseased skin, a marked percutaneous absorption of cetyl alcohol, but not with paraffin, must be expected.