Bioavailability, Antipsoriatic Efficacy and Tolerability of a New Light Cream with Mometasone Furoate 0.1%

Mometasone furoate, a potent glucocorticoid (class III) with a favorable benefit/risk ratio, has emerged as a standard medication for the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders. The purpose of the investigation presented here was to determine the noninferiority of a topical mometasone formulation, a light cream (O/W 60/40 emulsion) with mometasone furoate 0.1% (water content of 33%) versus marketed comparators. Using the vasoconstrictor assay, a strong blanching effect of the new cream (called Mometasone cream) comparable to that of a mometasone comparator, a fatty cream with mometasone furoate 0.1%, could be demonstrated. Thus, the topical bioavailability of the active ingredient mometasone furoate (0.1%) was regarded to be similar for Mometasone cream and the mometasone comparator. Using the psoriasis plaque test, a strong antipsoriatic effect comparable to that of the mometasone comparator was found for Mometasone cream after 12 days of occlusive treatment. A nearly identical reduction in the mean infiltrate thickness and similar mean AUC values were noted with both formulations confirmed by clinical assessment data. The noninferiority of Mometasone cream to its active comparator with re-spect to the AUC of change to baseline in infiltrate thickness was demonstrated. Both medications were well tolerated. Overall, Mometasone cream and the mometasone comparator showed similar efficacy and tolerability. Mometasone cream, in addition to its high potency and good tolerability, provides the properties of a light cream, which might make this new medication particularly suitable for application on acutely inflamed and sensitive skin. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base

Basic considerations in the dermatokinetics of topical formulations

Assessing the bioavailability of drug molecules at the site of action provides better insight into the efficiency of a dosage form. However, determining drug concentration in the skin layers following topical application of dermatological formulations is a great challenge. The protocols followed in oral formulations could not be applied for topical dosage forms. The regulatory agencies are considering several possible approaches such as tape stripping, microdialysis etc. On the other hand, the skin bioavailability assessment of xenobiotics is equally important for topical formulations in order to evaluate the toxicity. It is always possible that drug molecules applied on the skin surface may transport thorough the skin and reaches systemic circulation. Thus the real time measurement of molecules in the skin layer has become obligatory. In the last two decades, quite a few investigations have been carried out to assess the skin bioavailability and toxicity of topical/dermatological products. This review provides current understanding on the basics of dermatokinetics, drug depot formation, skin metabolism and clearance of drug molecules from the skin layers following application of topical formulations

Characterisation of de novo MAPK10/JNK3 truncation mutations associated with cognitive disorders in two unrelated patients

The c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) are stress-activated serine-threonine kinases that have recently been linked to various neurological disorders. We previously described a patient with intellectual disability (ID) and seizures (Patient 1), carrying a de novo chromosome translocation affecting the CNS-expressed MAPK10/JNK3 gene. Here, we describe a second ID patient (Patient 2) with a similar translocation that likewise truncates MAPK10/JNK3, highlighting a role for JNK3 in human brain development. We have pinpointed the breakpoint in Patient 2, which is just distal to that in Patient 1. In both patients, the rearrangement resulted in a predicted protein interrupted towards the C-terminal end of the kinase domain. We demonstrate that these truncated proteins, although capable of weak interaction with various known JNK scaffolds, are not capable of phosphorylating the classical JNK target c-Jun in vitro, which suggests that the patient phenotype potentially arises from partial loss of JNK3 function. We next investigated JNK3-binding partners to further explore potential disease mechanisms. We identified PSD-95, SAP102 and SHANK3 as novel interaction partners for JNK3, and we demonstrate that JNK3 and PSD-95 exhibit partially overlapping expression at synaptic sites in cultured hippocampal neurons. Moreover, JNK3, like JNK1, is capable of phosphorylating PSD-95 in vitro, whereas disease-associated mutant JNK3 proteins do not. We conclude that reduced JNK3 activity has potentially deleterious effects on neuronal function via altered regulation of a set of post-synaptic proteins

Development, stability and in vitro permeation studies of gels containing mometasone furoate for the treatment of dermatitis of the scalp

Dermatological inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and seborrhoeic dermatitis often affect the scalp and the eyebrows. Although there are many dosage forms available, these are particularly critical anatomic regions for application of topical formulations because of the presence of hair. Lotions are therefore the recommended type of drug delivery system for these areas. The presence of hair may limit the application and thus the acceptability of the formulation and its compliance. Because of its low apparent viscosity, lotion application is unpleasant. Gels, given their consistency and adhesiveness, are a suitable alternative to lotions in this situation. The aim of this study was to formulate a stable gel containing mometasone furoate, which is an anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritic corticosteroid, in order to improve topical treatment of scalp dermatitis. In this study, pharmaceutical development, physical-chemical characterization, stability and in vitro permeation studies were performed. In terms of the pH, viscosity, assay and macroscopic and microbiological properties, the gel was stable over the period of study. The in vitro permeation studies allowed the characterization of the mometasone furoate permeation profile for the gel through different membranes. Mometasone furoate presented a slow permeation through the skin. This gel appears safe for topical application.<br>Afecções dermatológicas do tipo inflamatório como a dermatite atópica, psoríase e dermatite seborreica, afetam freqüentemente o couro cabeludo e sobrancelhas. Apesar de existirem várias formas farmacêuticas para o seu tratamento, apenas as loções são indicadas para estas zonas, mas devido à baixa viscosidade, a aplicação de loções torna-se desagradável. Os geles, pela maior consistência e capacidade de adesão, apresentam-se como alternativa nesta situação. Neste trabalho procedeu-se ao desenvolvimento galênico de um gel com furoato de mometasona, que é um potente corticóide de última geração, com um rácio melhorado de risco/benefício. Foram avaliadas as características físico-químicas, a estabilidade e foram realizados ensaios de permeação in vitro. O gel obtido apresenta características organolépticas e reológicas adequadas ao fim a que se destina tendo-se apresentado estável química, física e microbiologicamente durante o tempo do ensaio. Os estudos de permeação in vitro permitiram caracterizar a formulação através de diferentes membranas. A membrana biológica (pele) não permite uma grande permeação do fármaco o que poderá sugerir que esta formulação é segura para aplicação tópica