Abstract

IONTOPHORESIS - AN EMERGING TRANSDERMAL DRUG DELIVERY APPROACH

Liby Tresa Francis*

ABSTRACT

The aim of development of transdermal drug delivery system is to obtain an optimum therapeutic management. In the field of pharmaceuticals, delivery of ionic species such as proteins and peptide drugs are still remaining as a challenge. Iontophoretic drug delivery system is designed to improve the delivery of ionic compounds. Iontophoresis is a technique using small electric charge to deliver a medicine or other chemical through the skin. The rationale behind the use of this techniques is to alter skin barrier properties, improve the penetration of proteins and peptide drugs, increase the systemic drug delivery with minimum inter subject variability and to obtain controlled release kinetics. In recent years, iontophoretic drug delivery has been extensively explored in several fields such as dentistry, ophthalmology, dermatology and physical medicine. This article is an overview of history, types of iontophoretic system, mechanisms, Iontophoretic device, advantage, disadvantages, factors affecting iontophoretic device and Bio medical applications of iontophoresis.

Keywords: drug delivery, iontophoresis, transdermal drug delivery, electric current.