Effect of the glyceryl monooleate-based lyotropic phases on skin permeation using in vitro diffusion and skin imaging

Abstract Glyceryl monooleate (GMO) is a polar lipid that can exist in various liquid crystalline phases in the presence of different amounts of water. It is regarded as a permeation enhancer due to its amphiphilic property. Various phases of GMO/solvent system containing sodium fluorescein were prepared to compare permeability using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). GMO was melted in a vial in a water bath heated to 45 °C. Propylene glycol and hexanediol were homogeneously dissolved in the melted GMO. Sodium fluorescein in aqueous solution was diluted to various ratios and thoroughly mixed by an ultrasonic homogenizer. Each GMO/Solvent system with fluorescein was applied onto the epidermal side of excised pig skin and incubated overnight. CLSM was performed to observe how the GMO/solvent system in its different phases affect skin permeability. Cubic and lamellar phase formulations enhanced the fluorescein permeation through the stratum corneum. A solution system had the weakest permeability compared to the other two phases. Due to the amphiphilic nature of GMO, cubic and lamellar phases might reduce the barrier function of stratum corneum which was observed by CLSM as fluorescein accumulated in the dermis. Based on the results, the glyceryl monooleate lyotropic mixtures could be applied to enhance skin permeation in various topical and transdermal formulations.