Iontophoresis electrode structure

Details Iontophoresis electrode structure Iontophoresis electrode structure

1998-02-13

2000-08-15

Polutta, Mark O.

Surgery

Means for introducing or removing material from body for...

Infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-ray or electrical...

604501, A61N 130

Patent

active

061049514

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL UTILIZATION

The present invention relates to an iontophoresis electrode structure (i.e. an electrode structure for iontophoresis) used for transferring biologically active substances or drugs into a living body in the field of medical treatment.


TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

It has a lot of advantages including the duration of concentration in blood, reduction of side effects to the digestive organs and simplicity of administration to allow biologically active substances and drugs be absorbed through the skin or a mucous membrane. However, since substance permeability through the skin is low, there has been a limit to the biologically active substances and drugs capable of being transferred in a sufficient amount into a living body. Besides, it has been difficult to transfer biologically active substances having a high molecular weight and drugs through a mucous membrane.
Recently, physical acceleration methods utilizing phonophoresis and iontophoresis have been studied. Of them, iontophoresis is a method of allowing biologically active substances and drugs ionized by an electric current to be absorbed through the skin or the mucous membrane and has been studied as an administration method instead of injections. Generally, as electrodes for iontophoresis, polarization electrodes of platinum, titanium, carbon and the like and non-polarization electrodes of silver/silver chloride and the like have been employed.
However, in the case of employing these electrodes singly, it has not been possible to transfer the biologically active substances and drugs in a sufficient amount into a living body by iontophoresis.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an electrode structure which can transfer biologically active substances and drugs into a living body effectively while causing no irritation to the skin or the mucous membrane, which has been difficult according to conventional iontophoresis techniques, and also can transfer (namely, transport) biologically active substances and drugs into a living body in a sufficient amount and safety.


DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an iontophoresis electrode structure having both a polarization electrode and a non-polarization electrode at the conducting element side, wherein both electrodes can be switched freely while electricity is applied thereto.
As described above, the electrode structure of the present invention has both a polarization electrode and a non-polarization electrode and is composed so that both electrodes can be switched freely while electricity is applied thereto. As materials for a polarization electrode constituting the electrode structure on the conducting element side, titanium, aluminum, iron, platinum, alloys thereof and carbon are employed, and as materials for a non-polarization electrode, silver, silver chloride, copper chloride, or materials based thereupon, for example, silver/silver chloride (silver with silver chloride adhered thereto or mixtures of both) and copper/copper chloride (copper with copper chloride adhered thereto or mixtures of both) are employed; however, they are not limited to them.
A preferred embodiment of this electrode structure 5 is composed of a polarization electrode 6 and a non-polarization electrode 7 formed integrally with an electrically insulating layer 8 (for example, a thin layer) provided between them. This electrode structure is composed, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, however, it only exemplifies one embodiment and it goes without saying that it is not limited thereto. As shown in FIG. 2, the electrode structure 5 of the present invention is composed of a polarization electrode 6 of titanium and alloys thereof, aluminum and alloys thereof, iron and alloys thereof and carbon and a non-polarization electrode 7 of silver, copper, silver chloride, copper chloride, or materials based thereupon, for example, silver/silver chloride (silver with silver chloride adhered thereto or mixtures of both) and copper/copper chloride (copper with copper chloride adhered

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