Effect of Terpenes on the Skin Permeation of Ketoprofen through Shed Snake Skin

The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of hydrocarbon (α-pinene and limonene) and oxygen containing monoterpenes (carvone and terpineole) at 5%w/v in hydroalcoholic mixtures (50% ethanol) on the permeation of ketoprofen across shed snake skin of Python molurus bivittatus. The amount of KP retained in the skin after 8 h of diffusion was determined. It was found that the percutaneous absorption of ketoprofen was enhanced in the presence of the enhancers. The rank order of enhancement ratio for skin permeation was found to be α-pinene > limonene > carvone > terpinoele. The enhancers also affected the retention of KP in the skin. The rank order of enhancement ratio for skin retention was the same order with skin permeation experiment. The results indicated that that lipophilicity is an important structural feature for monoterpenes as skin permeation enhancer for a liphophilic drug, ketoprofen.