Ts. Sahota et al., In vitro iontophoretic release of lithium chloride and lidocaine hydrochloride from polymer electrolytes, DRUG DEV IN, 26(10), 2000, pp. 1039-1044
Ionically conducting polymers, frequently known as polymer electrolytes, ar
e potential candidates as hosts for drugs to be delivered iontophoretically
. The iontophoretic delivery of lithium or lidocaine from polymer electroly
te films through a cellophane membrane was examined using different deliver
y current regimes. Thin, mechanically strong, polymer electrolyte films wer
e fabricated from poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) with lithium chloride or lidoc
aine hydrochloride. Experiments showed that iontophoretic transport of both
lithium chloride and lidocaine hydrochloride might be achieved from these
PEO-based films. Cation transport number determinations give values for PEO
-based films of about 0.4 for lithium chloride systems and 0.12 for lidocai
ne hydrochloride systems. The mechanism of transport from these PEO-based p
olymer electrolyte films allows the delivery of ionic salts such as lithium
chloride and lidocaine hydrochloride to be controlled solely by current, t
hus providing a system that can deliver precise amounts of drug.