DEVELOPMENT OF AN IONTOPHORESIS SYSTEM FOR TARGETED AND EFFECTIVE TRANSDERMAL DRUG DELIVERY

Abstract

The current deals with the Iontophoretic transdermal drug delivery system. Effective, non invasive and targeted drug delivery is a critical challenge in modern medicine. It plays a vital role in optimizing therapeutic outcomes, minimizing side effects, and enhancing patient comfort and compliance. One promising approach to address this challenge is through the application of iontophoresis, a technique that utilizes mild electrical currents to drive the transport of charged drugs through biological barriers such as the skin, leading to non invasive treatment for chronic epidermal diseases. Gelatin-sodium alginate hybrid hydrogel has been used as a drug carrier material. Three hydrogel films, i.e., Gelatin, Sodium Alginate and Gelatin-Sodium Alginate hybrid hydrogel have been synthesized and characterized through XRD, FTIR, SEM and EDX. In order to make this hydrogel conduvctive, so that it may respond to external stimuli, i.e., voltage, carbon nanotubes have been added in it. Mechanical properties of these hydrogels have been evaluated through the Tensile Test, and an approximately 7% increase in the strength of sodium alginate is seen after being blended with the gelatin, and by cross-linking between the chains of gelatin and sodium alginate using Calcium Chloride. Hybrid hydrogel has been coated over copper electrodes to be used as a cathode material in drug delivery systems. Moreover, the coating of hydrogel over copper electrode has been evaluated through Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. Finally Drug Release Tests have been evaluated through UV-VIS spectroscopy. Drug release pattern indicated that drug release rate can be enhanced proportionally, upon application of DC voltage/current.