Iontophoresis- An Approach for Transdermal Drug Delivery: A Review

Iontophoretic system deliver the drugs in the form of ions into the body by the use of electric current typically upto 0.5 mA/cm2. The technique is used for several decades clinically in delivering medication to surface tissues. However, its potential is recently being rediscovered for transdermal systemic delivery of ionic drugs including peptide/protein drugs which are normally difficult to administer except by parenteral route. This review describe the advantages, disadvantage and basic principle of iontophoresis with its electrochemistry. Various factors which affect transdermal absorption have also been reviewed. In the final section we summarizes the studies conducted recently using chemical enhancers and the list of drugs investigated in iontophoretic delivery system This article is focused to review old as well recent literature on the principle, Biomedical application and to provide reader a very comprehensive over view of the state of art of this potential in the new era pharmaceutical research.