Short Communication

Corneal Penetration into Rabbit Aqueous Humor Is Comparable between Preserved and Preservative-Free Tafluprost
Pertti Pellinen, Jukka Lokkila

Santen Oy, Tampere, Finland

Address of Corresponding Author

Ophthalmic Res 2009;41:118-122 (DOI: 10.1159/000192082)

  Key Words

• Preservatives
• Benzalkonium chloride
• Prostaglandins
• Animal model
• Corneal permeability
• Aqueous humor

  Abstract

Background: Some studies have shown that benzalkonium chloride (BAK), a preservative used in antiglaucoma medications, can increase corneal permeability by acting as a penetration enhancer. Tafluprost is a new prostaglandin F₂ analog in clinical use for the treatment of ocular hypertension and glaucoma. Methods: This study evaluated the corneal penetration of preservative-free tafluprost 0.0015% eye drops and tafluprost 0.0015% eye drops preserved with 0.01% BAK into the aqueous humor of rabbits. Results: After the administration of a single topical dose (30 µl), the maximum concentrations at 45 min of tafluprost acid in aqueous humor were 4.50 ng/ml for preservative-free tafluprost and 3.99 ng/ml for preserved tafluprost. The area under the concentration-time curves from 45 min to 3 h was 5.14 ng h/ml for the preservative-free formulation and 4.54 ng h/ml for the preserved formulation. Conclusions: These data indicate that BAK does not affect the corneal penetration of tafluprost into the rabbit aqueous humor.

Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Pertti Pellinen
Santen Oy, Niittyhaankatu 20
PO Box 33
FI-33721 Tampere (Finland)
Tel. +358 3284 8609, Fax +358 3284 8617, E Mail pertti.pellinen@santen.fi

  Article Information

Received: December 8, 2007
Accepted after revision: February 28, 2008
Published online: January 16, 2009
Number of Print Pages : 5
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 19