Authors: Cristina Padula Francesca Sartori Fabio Marra Patrizia Santi
Publish Date: 2005/08/24
Volume: 22, Issue: 9, Pages: 1519-1524
Abstract
The aim of this work was to explore the effect of iontophoresis on acyclovir ACV accumulation and permeation In particular the objectives were to check the efficacy of the transport mechanisms electromigration and electroosmosis on drug accumulationPermeation experiments were performed in vitro using rabbit ear skin as barrier from donor solutions at pH 30 58 and 74 At the end of the experiments drug accumulation in epidermis and dermis was measured Anodal and cathodal iontophoresis were applied at pH 30 whereas only anodal iontophoresis was used at pH 58 current densities 006–050 mA/cm2 and 74Cathodal iontophoresis was more efficient than anodal iontophoresis on ACV permeation across the skin at pH 30 At pH 58 ACV flux and accumulation increased with current density during anodal iontophoresis At pH 74 anodal iontophoresis produced a remarkable increase of flux and a modest increase of accumulation Overall anodal flux increased as the pH of the donor solution was increased as a result of the increase of the skin net negative chargeThis work was supported by a grant from the University of Parma FIL Progetti di Ricerca Scientifica di Ateneo Lisapharma SpA Erba Como Italy is acknowledged for providing acyclovir The authors wish to express their gratitude to Dr Sara Nicoli University of Parma for the helpful discussion
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