Effects of surfactants on the permeability of canine oral mucosa in vitro.

The effect of 3 cationic, 1 anionic, and 1 non-ionic surfactant on the permeability of oral frenulum removed from anesthetized dogs was determined in vitro. Permeability to 12 organic compounds was measured in the presence and absence of surfactant. Cetylpyridinium chloride, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, benzalkonium chloride and sodium lauryl sulfate, at concentrations from 0.025-1.0% caused dose-related increases in permeability to each of the solutes tested, whereas polysorbate 80 caused an increase in permeability to only 3 solutes, and this occurred only at the highest surfactant concentration employed.