Miglyol 840, propylene glycol diesters of caprylic and capric acids, in binary systems with ethanol markedly improved the in vitro skin permeation rate of several transdermal drug candidates such as tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA), diltiazem, atenolol, tazifylline and hydrocortisone, as compared to ethanol or Miglyol 840 alone across human and hairless mouse skin.The addition of ethanol to Miglyol 840 improved the drugs' skin permeation rates primarily as a result of increasing the drugs' solubilityThe addition of ethanol to Miglyol 840 also improved the relative permeation rate (permeation rate/initial concentration) of ethanol.No local irritation (erythema or edema) was noted over a 24 h period among four human volunteers wearing patches containing the binary vehicle, ethanol-Miglyol 840 (20:80 or 40:60).