Iontophoresis electrode

Claim 2

An iontophoresis electrode comprising: a conductive, current distributing member; means for coupling said current distributing member to a source of electrical current; reservoir means containing an ionic or ionizable drug to be delivered, and being further constructed and arranged to be in electrical contact with the current distributing member; and a layer of charge selective material applied directly to said current distributing member, and arranged intermediate said current distributing member and said reservoir means and coupling them together.

Claim 3

An iontophoresis electrode, comprising: a current distributing member fabricated of a material which is readily oxidized or reduced at a voltage less than the voltage required to hydrolyze water; connector means for connecting said current distributing member to a source of electrical current; reservoir means constructed and arranged for the delivery of drug to skin against which the electrode is contacted, said reservoir means being coupled to said current distributing member, said reservoir means containing an ionic drug compounded with a counterion which reacts with said material of which said current distributing member is fabricated, after said material is oxidized or reduced, to produce a compound insoluble with said reservoir means; and a layer of charge selective material applied directly to said current distributing member, said material selective for ions of the opposite charge as said ionic drug, said material applied intermediate said current distributing member and said reservoir means and coupling them together.

Claim 4

An iontophoresis electrode, comprising: a current distributing member fabricated of a material which is readily oxidized or reduced at a voltage less than the voltage required to hydrolyze water; connector means for connecting said current distributing member to a source of electrical current; reservoir means constructed and arranged for the delivery of drug to skin against which the electrode is contacted, said reservoir means being coupled to said current distributing member, said reservoir means containing an ionic drug compounded with a counterion which reacts with said material of which said current distributing member is fabricated, after said material is oxidized or reduced, to produce a compound insoluble with said reservoir means; and a layer of charge selective material applied directly to said current distributing member, said material selective for ions of the opposite charge as said ionic drug, said material applied intermediate said current distributing member and said reservoir means and coupling them together.

Claim 5

An iontophoresis electrode for delivery of an ionic or ionizable drug to a skin comprising: a conductive, current distributing member; means for coupling said current distributing member to a source of electrical current; reservoir means containing an ionic or ionizable drug to be delivered to said skin, the reservoir means being constructed and arranged for delivery of the drug to skin against which the electrode is contacted; a layer of first charge selective material applied directly to said current distributing member and contacting the reservoir means whereby the current distributing member and reservoir means are coupled together; and a second charge selective material located at the interface of the drug reservoir means and the skin, the second charge selective material selectively passing ions having the charge of the drug to be delivered to said skin from the reservoir means.

Claim 6

An iontophoresis electrode for delivery of an ionic or ionizable drug to a skin comprising: a conductive, current distributing member; means for coupling said current distributing member to a source of electrical current; reservoir means containing an ionic or ionizable drug to be delivered to said skin, the reservoir means being constructed and arranged for delivery of the drug to skin against which the electrode is contacted; a layer of first charge selective material applied directly to said current distributing member and contacting the reservoir means whereby the current distributing member and reservoir means are coupled together; and a second charge selective material located at the interface of the drug reservoir means and the skin, the second charge selective material selectively passing ions having the charge of the drug to be delivered to said skin from the reservoir means.

Claim 7

The electrode of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the drug to be delivered is cationic or ionizable into cations and the charge selective material is selectively permeable to anions.

Claim 8

The electrode of claim 4, wherein the charge selective material applied directly to the current distributing member comprises an anion exchange membrane.

Claim 9

The electrode of claim 5, wherein the anion exchange membrane is selected from the group consisting of copolymers of styrene and divinyl benzine reacted with trimethylamine.

Claim 10

The electrode of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the drug to be delivered is anionic or ionizable into anions and the charge selective material applied directly to the current distributing member is selectively permeable to cations.

Claim 11

The electrode of claim 7, wherein the charge selective material applied directly to the current distributing member comprises a cation exchange membrane.

Claim 12

The electrode of claim 8, wherein the cation exchange membrane is selected from the group consisting of sulfonated styrene polymers and sulfonated fluorocarbon polymers.

Claim 13

The electrode of claim 1 or 3, wherein the current distributing member is comprised of an inert metal.

Claim 14

The electrode of claim 10, wherein the inert metal is selected from the group consisting of platinum and stainless steel.

Claim 15

The electrode of claim 10, wherein the drug is selected from weak acids and weak bases.

Claim 16

The electrode of claim 2, wherein the drug to be delivered is cationic or ionizable into cations and the current distributing member comprises a material which is oxidizable.

Claim 17

The electrode of claim 13, wherein the oxidable material comprises silver.

Claim 18

The electrode of claim 14, wherein the counterion comprises chloride and the insoluble compound comprises silver chloride.

Claim 19

The electrode of claim 2, wherein the drug to be delivered is anionic or ionizable into anions and the current distributing member comprises a material which is reducible.

Claim 20

The electrode of claim 16, wherein the reducible material comprises silver/silver chloride.

Claim 21

The electrode of claim 17, wherein the counterion is capable of forming a neutrally charged compound when combined with ionic chlorine.

Claim 22

The electrode of claim 18, wherein the counterion is selected from the group consisting of copper and silver.

Claim 23

The electrode of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the reservoir means comprises a nonionic gel.

Claim 28

The method of claim 3 or 22, wherein the drug to be delivered is cationic or ionizable into cations and the charge selective material is selectively permeable to anions.

Claim 29

The method of claim 23, wherein the charge selective material applied directly to the current distributing member comprises an anion exchange membrane.

Claim 30

The method of claim 24, wherein the anion exchange membrane is selected from the group consisting of copolymers of styrene and divinyl benzene reacted with trimethylamine.

Claim 31

The method of claim 3 or 22, wherein the drug to be delivered is anionic or ionizable into anions and the charge selective material applied directly to the current distributing member is selectively permeable to cations.

Claim 32

The method of claim 26, wherein the charge selective material applied directly to the current distributing member comprises a cation exchange membrane.

Claim 33

The method of claim 27, wherein the cation exchange membrane is selected from the group consisting of sulfonated styrene polymers and sulfonated fluorocarbon polymers.

Claim 34

The method of claim 3, wherein the current distributing member is comprised of an inert metal.

Claim 35

The method of claim 29, wherein the inert metal is selected from the group consisting of platinum and stainless steel.

Claim 36

The method of claim 29, wherein the drug is selected from weak acids and weak bases.

Claim 37

The method of claim 22, wherein the drug to be delivered is cationic or ionizable into cations and the current distributing member comprises a material which is oxidizable.

Claim 38

The method of claim 32, wherein the oxidizable material comprises silver.

Claim 39

The method of claim 33, wherein the counterion comprises chloride and the insoluble compound comprises silver chloride.

Claim 40

The method of claim 22, wherein the drug to be delivered is anionic or ionizable into anions and the current distributing member comprises a material which is reducible.

Claim 41

The method of claim 35, wherein the reducible material comprises silver/silver chloride.

Claim 42

The method of claim 36, wherein the counterion is capable of forming a neutrally charged compound when combined with ionic chlorine.

Claim 43

The method of claim 37, wherein the counterion is selected from the group consisting of copper and silver.

Claim 44

The method of claim 3 or 22, wherein the reservoir means comprises a nonionic gel.