The ability of sodium caprylate and l-menthol to fluidize phospholipid bilayers composed of lipids simulating the buccal epithelium was investigated using electron spin resonance (ESR) to evaluate the action of these agents as permeation enhancers. 5-Doxyl stearic acid (5-DSA) and 16-doxyl stearic acid (16-DSA) were used as spin labels to identify alterations in membrane fluidity near the polar head groups or inner acyl regions of the lipid bilayer, respectively. The molecular motion of both 5-DSA and 16-DSA showed increased disorder near the polar and inner hydrophobic regions of the bilayer in the presence of sodium caprylate suggesting fluidization in both the regions, which contributes to its permeation enhancing effects. L-menthol decreased the order parameter for 16-DSA, showing membrane fluidization only in the inner acyl regions of the bilayer, which also corresponded to its weaker permeation enhancing effects. The rapid evaluation of changes in fluidity of the bilayer in the presence of potential permeation enhancers using ESR enables improved selection of effective permeation enhancers and enhancer combinations based on their effect on membrane fluidization.
Keywords: buccal mucosa; electron spin resonance; l-menthol; membrane fluidity; permeation enhancers; sodium caprylate.