Topical distribution of acyclovir in normal equine skin and equine sarcoids: An in vitro study.
Abstract: Topical acyclovir application is an owner-friendly treatment for occult equine sarcoids, without the caustic side-effects other topical treatments have. Variable clinical success rates have been described, but it is not known to what rate and extent acyclovir penetrates in and through equine skin from a topical formulation. In the current study, an in vitro Franz diffusion model was used to determine the permeation parameters for a generic 5% acyclovir cetomacrogol cream for both healthy and sarcoid equine skin. The distribution of acyclovir between different layers of both skin types was also evaluated. While acyclovir penetrated through both skin types, significantly less acyclovir permeated to the deep dermis of sarcoid skin (197.62ng/mm(3)) compared to normal skin (459.41ng/mm(3)). Within sarcoid skin samples, significantly higher acyclovir concentrations were found in the epidermis (983.59ng/mm(3)) compared to the superficial dermis (450.02ng/mm(3)) and the deep dermis. At each sample point, significantly more acyclovir permeated to the receptor fluid through normal skin compared to sarcoid skin, which is reflected in the significantly higher permeation parameters of normal skin. Normal skin was found to be more permissive for acyclovir, but even in sarcoid skin, enough acyclovir reached the deep dermis to treat a Herpes simplex virus infection. In the case of equine sarcoids, the treatment is aimed at the Bovine papillomavirus and no information is available on the susceptibility of the DNA polymerase of this virus for acyclovir. Therefore, further research is needed to determine the efficacy of acyclovir to treat equine sarcoids.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2016-04-02 PubMed ID: 27234546DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2016.03.021Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The abstract discusses a study examining the effectiveness of a particular type of cream treatment for a skin condition known as equine sarcoids in horses.
Research Objectives and Approach
- The primary aim of this research was to investigate how much and how effectively the anti-viral drug acyclovir is absorbed by equine skin when included in a topical cream.
- To determine the permeation parameters, the researchers used an in vitro Franz diffusion model, a standard experiment for testing the skin absorption of solutions.
- They compared the absorption rates between healthy skin and sarcoid skin using a 5% generic acyclovir cetomacrogol cream.
- In addition, the concentrations of acyclovir in different layers of the skin were evaluated and compared in both health and sarcoid skin.
Findings of the Study
- The study found that while acyclovir penetrated both healthy and sarcoid skin, the amount that reached the deeper layers of sarcoid skin was significantly less than that reaching deep layers of healthy skin.
- Within the sarcoid samples, higher concentrations of acyclovir were found in the outer layer of skin, the epidermis, compared to both the superficial and the deeper dermis.
- Significantly more acyclovir permeated to the receptor fluid, the substance that collects the compound after it has passed through the skin, through normal skin compared to sarcoid skin.
- Essentially, normal skin was found to be more receptive to acyclovir, allowing the drug to penetrate more deeply and in greater amounts than in the case of sarcoid skin.
Implications and Future Directions
- Despite the less effective penetration of acyclovir into sarcoid skin, the amount was still found to be sufficient enough to potentially treat a Herpes simplex virus infection.
- However, in the case of equine sarcoids, the treatment is primarily aimed at the Bovine papillomavirus and there isn’t currently any information available regarding the susceptibility of the DNA polymerase of this virus to acyclovir.
- Therefore, the research suggests that further investigation is necessary to judge the efficacy of acyclovir in treating equine sarcoids.
Cite This Article
APA
Haspeslagh M, Taevernier L, Maes AA, Vlaminck LE, De Spiegeleer B, Croubels SM, Martens AM.
(2016).
Topical distribution of acyclovir in normal equine skin and equine sarcoids: An in vitro study.
Res Vet Sci, 106, 107-111.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2016.03.021 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: maarten.haspeslagh@ugent.be.
- Drug Quality and Registration (DruQuar) Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Drug Quality and Registration (DruQuar) Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
MeSH Terms
- Acyclovir / pharmacokinetics
- Administration, Topical
- Animals
- Antiviral Agents / pharmacokinetics
- Bovine papillomavirus 1 / genetics
- Epidermis / chemistry
- Epidermis / metabolism
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy
- Skin Neoplasms / veterinary
- Tissue Culture Techniques
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Song Y, Day CM, Afinjuomo F, Tan JE, Page SW, Garg S. Advanced Strategies of Drug Delivery via Oral, Topical, and Parenteral Administration Routes: Where Do Equine Medications Stand?. Pharmaceutics 2023 Jan 4;15(1).
- Weber LA, Funtan A, Paschke R, Delarocque J, Kalbitz J, Meißner J, Feige K, Kietzmann M, Cavalleri JV. In vitro assessment of triterpenoids NVX-207 and betulinyl-bis-sulfamate as a topical treatment for equine skin cancer.. PLoS One 2020;15(11):e0241448.
- Haspeslagh M, Jordana Garcia M, Vlaminck LEM, Martens AM. Topical use of 5% acyclovir cream for the treatment of occult and verrucous equine sarcoids: a double-blinded placebo-controlled study.. BMC Vet Res 2017 Oct 6;13(1):296.
- Yang L, Wu L, Wu D, Shi D, Wang T, Zhu X. Mechanism of transdermal permeation promotion of lipophilic drugs by ethosomes.. Int J Nanomedicine 2017;12:3357-3364.
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