Iontophoresis device

• US 7,398,121 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2002
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TTI Ellebeau, Inc. (Ease Asset Management Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TTI Ellebeau, Inc. (Ease Asset Management Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ito, Yoshihiro, Matsumura, Akihiko, Kobayashi, Yoriko, Torisawa, Sakae, Kanamura, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bouchelle; Laura A
• Application Number:
  US10/488,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20050070840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,246 Days
• Field of Search: 604/20, 604/890.1, 424/449
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0444 Membrane
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/303 Constructional details electrodes for external use A61N1/0428

Abstract

An iontophoresis device useful for administering an ionic drug by iontophoresis has an iontophoresis electrode section (active electrode section) and a ground electrode section (inactive electrode section) both of which are to be connected to a power source. The iontophoresis device includes elements (members) of both of the electrode sections are all formed of membrane bodies, and includes ion exchange membranes different in ion selectivity, one being selective to ions of the same species as charged ions of the ionic drug and the other to ions different in species from the charged ions of the ionic drug that are arranged in the iontophoresis electrode section, and at least an ion exchange membrane selective to ions opposite to the charged ions of the ionic drug is arranged in the ground electrode section. The iontophoresis device can administer the ionic drug stably over a long period of time at high transport efficiency.

Claims

1. An iontophoresis device useful for administering an ionic drug by iontophoresis, said iontophoresis device having an iontophoresis electrode section (active electrode section) and a ground electrode section (inactive electrode section) both of which are connected to a power source, comprising

(1) said iontophoresis electrode section comprises:

(1)-1. an electrode plate connected to said power source of the same polarity as the charged ions of said ionic drug,

(1)-2. an electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane arranged on a front side of said electrode plate and retaining therein an electrolyte solution in such a state that said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane is impregnated with said electrolyte solution,

(1)-3. an ion exchange membrane arranged on a front side of said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane and selective to ions opposite in polarity to said charged ions of said ionic drug,

(1)-4. an ionic-drug-retaining membrane arranged on a front side of said ion exchange membrane and retaining therein said ionic drug in such a state that said ionic-drug-retaining membrane is impregnated with said ionic drug, and

(1)-5. an ion-exchange membrane arranged on a front side of said ionic-drug-retaining membrane and selective to ions of the same species as said charged ions of said ionic drug; and

(2) said ground electrode section comprises;

(2)-1. an electrode plate opposite in polarity to said electrode plate in said iontophoresis electrode section,

(2)-2. an electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane arranged on a front side of said electrode plate and retaining therein an electrolyte solution in such a state that said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane is impregnated with said electrolyte solution, and

(2)-3. an ion exchange membrane arranged on a front side of said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane and selective to ions opposite in polarity to said charged ions of said ionic drug,

wherein two said electrolyte-solution-retaining membranes in both said introphoresis and ground electrode sections retain therein an electrolyte solution containing one or more compounds which have an oxidation-reduction potential lower than the oxidation-reduction potential of water in electrolysis in such a state that two said electrolyte-solution-retaining membranes are impregnated with said electrolyte solution, and said electrolyte solution contains (1) lactic acid and sodium fumarate, or (2) ferrous sulfate and ferric sulfate.

2. The iontophoresis device according to claim 1, wherein:

(2) said ground electrode section comprises;

(2)-1. an electrode plate opposite in polarity to said electrode plate in said iontophoresis electrode section,

(2)-2. an electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane arranged on a front side of said electrode plate and retaining therein an electrolyte solution in such a state that said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane is impregnated with said electrolyte solution,

(2)-5. an ion exchange membrane arranged on a front side of said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane and selective to ions of the same species as said charged ions of said ionic drug,

(2)-4. an electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane arranged on a front side of said ion exchange membrane and retaining therein an electrolyte solution in such a state that said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane is impregnated with said electrolyte solution, and

(2)-3. an ion exchange membrane arranged on a front side of said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane and selective to ions opposite in polarity to said charged ions of said ionic drug,

wherein three said electrolyte-solution-retaining membranes in both said introphoresis and ground electrode sections retain therein an electrolyte solution containing one or more compounds which have an oxidation-reduction potential lower than the oxidation-reduction potential of water in electrolysis in such a state that three said electrolyte-solution-retaining membranes are impregnated with said electrolyte solution, and said electrolyte solution contains (1) lactic acid and sodium fumarate, or (2) ferrous sulfate and ferric sulfate.

3. The iontophoresis device according to claim 1, wherein said iontophoresis electrode section is constructed of assembling elements, comprising of said electrode plate, said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane, said ionic-drug-retaining membrane, and said two ion exchange membranes, some or all of which have been assembled into one or more kits beforehand.

4. The iontophoresis device according to claim 3, wherein said electrode plate and said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane of said assembling elements have been assembled into a kit beforehand.

5. The iontophoresis device according to claim 3, wherein said ionic-drug-retaining membrane and two said ion exchange membranes of said assembling elements have been assembled into a kit beforehand.

6. The iontophoresis device according to claim 1, wherein said ground electrode section is constructed of assembling elements, comprising of said electrode plate, said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane and said ion exchange membrane, some or all of which have been assembled into one or more kits beforehand.

7. The iontophoresis device according to claim 6, wherein said electrode plate and said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane of said assembling elements have been assembled into a kit beforehand.

8. The iontophoresis device according to claim 6, wherein said electrode plate, said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane and said ion exchange membrane of said assembling elements have been assembled into a kit beforehand.

9. The iontophoresis device according to claim 1, wherein-two said electrolyte-solution-retaining membranes in both said introphoresis and ground electrode sections and said ionic-drug-retaining membrane in said iontophoresis electrode section comprise of an acrylic hydrogel membrane having a degree of impregnation of 30 to 40%.

10. The iontophoresis device according to claim 1, wherein said iontophoresis electrode section and said ground electrode section are constructed into discrete units.

11. The iontophoresis device according to claim 1, wherein said iontophoresis electrode section and said ground electrode section are constructed into an integral structure.

12. The iontophoresis device according to claim 2, wherein said iontophoresis electrode section is constructed of assembling elements, comprising of said electrode plate, said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane, said ionic-drug-retaining membrane, and two said ion exchange membranes, some or all of which have been assembled into one or more kits beforehand.

13. The iontophoresis device according to claim 12, wherein said electrode plate and said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane of said assembling elements have been assembled into a kit beforehand.

14. The iontophoresis device according to claim 12, wherein said ionic-drug-retaining membrane and two said ion exchange membranes of said assembling elements have been assembled into a kit beforehand.

15. The iontophoresis device according to claim 2, wherein said ground electrode section is constructed of assembling elements, comprising of said electrode plate, two said electrolyte-solution-retaining membranes, and two said ion exchange membranes, some or all of which have been assembled into one or more kits beforehand.

16. The iontophoresis device according to claim 15, wherein said electrode plate and said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane, arranged on a front side of said electrode plate, of said assembling elements have been assembled into a kit beforehand.

17. The iontophoresis device according to claim 15, wherein two said ion exchange membranes and said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane disposed between two said ion exchange membranes of said assembling elements have been assembled into a kit beforehand.

18. The iontophoresis device according to claim 2, wherein three said electrolyte-solution-retaining membranes in both said introphoresis and ground electrode sections and said ionic-drug-retaining membrane in said iontophoresis electrode section comprise of an acrylic hydrogel membrane having a degree of impregnation of 30 to 40%.

19. The iontophoresis device according to claim 2, wherein said iontophoresis electrode section and said ground electrode section are constructed into discrete units.

20. The iontophoresis device according to claim 2, wherein said iontophoresis electrode section and said ground electrode section are constructed into an integral structure.