Enhanced skin delivery of quercetin by microemulsion

• Published in: Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology Vol. 61; no. 7; p. 855
• Main Authors: Kitagawa, Shuji, Tanaka, Yuko, Tanaka, Manami, Endo, Kanako, Yoshii, Akiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.07.2009
• Subjects: Administration, Cutaneous; Animals; Antioxidants - administration & dosage; Antioxidants - pharmacokinetics; Drug Delivery Systems; Emulsions; Guinea Pigs; In Vitro Techniques; Lipid Peroxidation; Male; Permeability; Quercetin - administration & dosage; Quercetin - pharmacokinetics; Skin - metabolism; Skin Absorption; Solubility; Swine; Swine, Miniature
• DOI: 10.1211/jpp.61.07.0003
• ISSN: 0022-3573

For topical application of quercetin it is necessary to improve the low efficiency of its intradermal delivery as well as its low solubility in aqueous and organic vesicles. The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of a microemulsion for that purpose. A microemulsion consisting of isopropyl myristate, 150 mM NaCl solution, Tween 80 and ethanol was prepared. The skin delivery of quercetin by microemulsion using excised guinea-pig and Yucatan micropig skin in Franz diffusion cells was examined. Lipid peroxidation in skin was also tested using iron(II) and citrate. Using a w/o microemulsion as a vehicle, intradermal delivery of quercetin was significantly increased, as was its solubility. Quercetin penetrated deep into the skin, but no transfer was observed into the receptor compartment. It was confirmed that quercetin retained in the skin dose-dependently inhibited lipid peroxidation. The findings indicate the potential use of microemulsions for the skin delivery of quercetin, where it exerts antioxidative effects.