X-Message-Number: 15799 Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 03:22:50 -0800 (PST) From: Doug Skrecky <> Subject: tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol is a bust The following abstract indicates tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol has extraordinarily low toxicity. Looked great till I actually read the full report. It's a typo, that neither the writers of the article, the editors of the magazine, or Medline's editors caught. :( ________________________________________________________________ Title Topical application of penetration enhancers to the skin of nude mice: a histopathological study. Source Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacology. 41(2):118-22, 1989 Feb. Abstract Eighteen potential penetration enhancers, some at concentrations that might be used for that purpose, have been examined to evaluate their irritancy potential on nude mouse skin. A biopsy technique was employed followed by histological examination. Up to 50% glycerol, 10% hydroxyethyl lactamide (HELA), 10% oleyl alcohol, 10% Solketal, 10% glycofurol, 100% tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) and 10% urea induced no discernible change in the histological appearance of the skin whereas 100% dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), 100% dimethyl formamide (DMF), 100% N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, 10% Azone, 10% oleic acid, 10% methyl laurate, 10% benzyl alcohol and 10% glycerol formal caused severe skin irritation. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=15799