Drug dispensing device for transdermal delivery of medicaments

Claim 1

A flexible, liquid-absorbent, nonbiodegradable adhesive reservoir to be applied to a patient comprising: a flexible backing element selected from the group consisting of cotton, paper, synthetic fabric and plastic, a substrate attached to said backing element comprising a homogeneous, hydrophilic, stable matrix being sufficiently pliant to conform to the shape of the body contours, said matrix including a solid face comprising about 1% to 50% of the total weight of the matrix and formed for a high-molecular natural and/or synthetic polysaccharide and/or a synthetic polymer selected from the group consisting of: polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide and their cogeners, vinyl acetate ethylene copolymer, vinyl acetate dioctyl maleate copolymer, synthetic and natural polysacchacrid gums, starch-g-poly, and a crosslinked ester of α, β, olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid and a liquid phase hydrating the matrix and converting the matrix to a hydrocolloidal suspension, said liquid phase consisting of polyhydric alcohol solutions or dispersions selected from the group consisting of water solutions of carbohydrate, and/or protein, and/or polyhydric alcohol, and comprising from 50% to 98% by weight of the matrix, said matrix containing a medicament selected from the group consisting of cardiovascular drugs, vasodialators, anti-arrythmic drugs and anti-hypertensive drugs, and antibacterial agent, antiseptic agent, anti-inflammatory agent, anti-pruretic agent, hormonal agent, keratolytic agent, skin protective agent and a rubefacient agent, said reservoir when applied to a patient forming a hydrophilic bridge with the patient's skin to allow the progressive release of the medicament across the hydrophilic bridge the hydrophilic hydrated matrix maintaining the medicament in a hydrated state allowing for free diffusion and dynamic tranfer thereof through the reservoir to the skin interface and the hydrated state of the matrix providing hydrophilic adhesive properties rendering the substrate tacky to enhance adhesion to the skin.