In vitro trancorneal penetration of metronidazole and it potential ue a adjunct therapy in acanthamoeba keratiti

An in vitro tudy of the permeation of metronidazole through rabbit and human cornea in the preence and abence of 0.01% benzalkonium chloride (BZCL) wa conducted. Flux rate of metronidazole form 0.5% and 1.0% aqueou olution in the preence and abence of 0.01% BZCL were determined. teady-tate flux rate for metronidazole from 0.05% to 1.0% olution acro both rabbit and human cornea were achieved after 6 and 4 hour, repectively. The metronidazole form a 1.0% olution had a teady-tate flux rate approximately double that from the 0.5% olution. Flux rate of metronidazole acro human cornea were 12% to 33% higher than thoe acro rabbit cornea. For both rabbit and human cornea, flux rate of metronidazole and flux rate of metronidazole were reduced by between 4% and 11%, repectively, in the preence of 0.01% BZCL. Higher concentration of topical metronidazole up to 1.0%, with omiion of BZCL a a preervative, may be conidered for clinical ue in the treatment of Acanthamoeba keratiti.—Michael D. Wagoner