technology
- Iontophoresis is the active transdermal delivery of soluble
drug ions.
- Iontophoresis uses a direct current (DC) to move charged
drug ions into the skin.
- Iontophoresis is the alternative to hypodermic
injections.
Local drug administration
- No systemic side effects
- Undetectable systemic blood concentrations (Smutok et al., 2002)
- Diffused local drug administration — no multiple hypodermic punctures or tunneling to increase injected area (ideal for drug deposition around inflamed tendons and into joints)
- Non-invasive — no needles (ideal for pediatrics and needle-adverse adults)
- The dosage of drug delivered is given by the amount of charge moved around the circuit.
- The iontophoretic dose is determined by the amount of current (Amperes or Amps) over a period of time (minutes). Thus, the unit dose is Amp*minutes.
- For a positively-charged drug, the active electrode must be made the Anode (+). Like charges repel. The positive (+) lead is connected to the active electrode.
- For a negatively-charged drug, the active electrode must be made the Cathode (-). The negative (-) lead is connected to the active electrode.
