Research Progress of Dermal Physiologicallybased Pharmacokinetic Models

After topical application, the pharmacokinetic processes of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion within the skin are complex and challenging to accurately monitor and study. Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling and simulation technology provides new research insights and methods for dermal pharmacokinetics (DPK) research. Dermal PBPK models are quantitative pharmacology models based on physiological mechanisms, constructed using data from in vitro skin permeation experiments, physicochemical properties of drugs, formulation attributes, in vivo animal experiments, and histopathological and physiological characteristics of human skin. These models characterize the distribution and disposition of active pharmaceutical ingredients across distinct skin layers, enabling the prediction of dermal pharmacokinetic profiles and the dose-exposure-response relationships, thereby guiding rational clinical drug use. This article reviews the research progress of the dermal PBPK models.