A standard protocol was used to determine partition (K) and diffusion (D) coefficients in dermatomed human skin and isolated human skin layers for 50 compounds relevant to cosmetics ingredients. K values were measured in dermatomed skin, isolated dermis, whole epidermis, intact stratum corneum (SC), delipidized SC and SC lipids by direct measurements of the radioactivity in the tissue layers/lipid component vs. buffer samples. D determinations were made in dermatomed skin, isolated dermis, whole epidermis and intact SC using a non-linear regression of the cumulative receptor fluid content of radiolabeled compound, fit to the solution of Fick’s 2nd Law. Correlation analysis was completed between K, D, and physicochemical properties. The amount of interindividual (donor) and intraindividual (replicate) variability in the K and D data was characterized for each skin layer and chemical. These data can be further used to help inform the factors that influence skin bioavailability and to help improve in silico models of dermal penetration.

By Corie A. Ellison, Kevin O. Tankersley, Cindy M. Obringer, Greg J. Carr, John Manwaring, Helga Rothe, Hélène Duplan, Camille Géniès, Sébastien Grégoire, Nicola J. Hewitt, Carine Jacques Jamin, Martina Klaric, Daniela Lange, Alexandra Rolaki, Andreas Schepky