Nanoparticles and their interactions with the dermal barrier

The dermal application of drugs is promising due to the ease of application. In this context nano-scale carrier systems were already evaluated in several studies with respect to the skin interaction and the impact on drug penetration. At the same time the upcoming production of engineered nano-scale materials requires a thorough safety evaluation. Drug delivery as well as risk assessment depends crucially on the ability of such carriers to overcome the skin barrier and reach deeper tissue layers. Therefore, the interaction of nanoparticles with skin and especially skin models is an intriguing field. However, the data obtained do not show a clear image on the effect of nano-carriers. Especially the penetration of such particles is an open and controversially discussed topic. The literature reports different results mainly on pig or murine skin showing strong penetration (pig and mouse) or the opposite. Looking only at the sizes of the particles also no conclusive picture can be obtained. Nevertheless, size is regarded to play an important role for skin penetration. Furthermore, the state of the skin influences penetration (hydration) and the mechanical stress is of outmost importance.