RESPONSE-SURFACE METHOD AS AN APPROACH TO OPTIMIZATION OF IONTOPHORETIC TRANSDERMAL DELIVERY OF PILOCARPINE

Optimization via experimentation in iontophoresis was investigated. A response surface method was applied in optimizing the operating condit ions in iontophoretic transdermal delivery of pilocarpine. With an obj ective for a transitory application of pilocarpine, i.e. in diagnosis of cystic fibrosis or in treatment of hyperhydrosis, the best operatin g condition was achieved via a response surface method by adjusting th e pH of the buffer, ionic strength, current amplitude and frequency of pulsed current or active temporal ratio based on unknown structural m odels with stationary or slowly varying optima in the region of intere st. This method was easy to approach and efficient in seeking optimal experimental conditions for multiple variables and an unknown structur al system. Satisfactory results in optimizing the operating conditions in iontophoretic transdermal delivery of pilocarpine were thereby ach ieved.