Reservoir effect of anticholinergic agents administered cutaneously
Marcy, R.; Quermonne, M.A.; Nguyen-Thomas, T.M.
Annales de Dermatologie et de Venereologie 104(12): 897-898
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0151-9638 PMID: 613961 Document Number: 110892
The reservoir effect, probably based on the skin, was first observed after the local application of corticosteroid preparations, and consisted in cutaneous vasoconstriction when the solvent only was applied, even several days later. The object of this study was to determine whether the anhidrotic effect of anticholinergics can be shown to produce a similar storage phenomenon. The tests were made on mice; the drugs used included scopolamine hydrobromide, atropine sulfate and atropine base; the solvent used was water or an appropriate hydro-alcoholic solution, or the solvents alone. The solutions were topically applied, following by 25 successive applications of Scotch tape, on the palmar surface of the front paws. The reservoir effect was looked for by noting the reappearance of the anhidrotic effect when the animals' paws were dipped in the same solvent and then dried, 24 h (or 48 h) after the original application. Significant reservoir effects were observed for certain concentrations of scopolamine and atropine. The disappearance of the anhidrotic effect due to the initial treatment and its reappearance were measured by palmar conductivity tests. In contrast with the original studies with corticosteroids, the stratum corneum did not seem to be the level of storage for anticholinergics under the conditions of the test.