To formulate a transdermal drug delivery system of captopril, monolithic ad
hesive matrix type patches containing 20% captopril, different pressure-sen
sitive adhesives, and various permeation enhancers were prepared using a la
bcoater. The effects of the adhesives and permeation enhancers on skin perm
eation of captopril from the prepared patches were evaluated using Franz di
ffusion cells fitted with excised rat skins. The permeation rate of the dru
g through the excised skin was dependent on the type of polyacrylate copoly
mers studied. Fatty alcohols resulted in a pronounced enhancing effect on t
he skin permeation of captopril, while dimethyl sulfoxide, N-methyl-2-pyrro
lidone, oleic acid, Transcutol, and polysorbate 20 showed no significant en
hancing effect. The permeation-enhancing effect of the fatty alcohols reach
ed the maximum at the level of 10%. Based on these results, a captopril pat
ch may be developed with further optimization.