The prediction of plasma levels of drugs following transdermal application

A theoretical description of transdermal drug delivery has been developed using a straight-forward linear pharmacokinetic model. However, the rate constants in this model have been chosen such that they may be related to the physicochemical properties of the penetrant. Thus equations have been derived which may be used predictively to estimate the concentrations of drug in the plasma following transdermal application. The theoretical model has been used to predict plasma levels of scopolamine after this drug has been applied to the skin surface in a device that releases with zero order kinetics.