The ATR noninvasive detection of transported medicinal ions and the performance of newly designed iontophoresis instruments*

The attenuated total reflection and near-infrared diffusive-reflection methods are proposed as safe and powerful ways to detect and measure the quantity of medication transported by iontophoresis. Especially, the former method can evaluate the quantity of such negative ions as L-ascorbyl-2-phosphate in the top (horny) layer of epidermis (about 1 mm under the skin surface) using, respectively, characteristic ion’s bands. Factors making iontophoresis more effective are discussed from the points of electric currents, duty ratio, frequency of superposing intermittent current, simultaneous supersonic perforation, etc. The use of intermittent direct current superposed by 40 kHz pulsed current and pulse irradiation of supersonic waves accelerated drastically the disappearing rate of transported ions from the horny layer with a life of 10 h to 1 min. This technique may be applied to a new and powerful drug delivery system into topical deep tissues. q 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.