Enhanced transport of salbutamol sulphate through rat skin via lontophoresis

Abstract

The effects of various factors like pH of the donor solution, current density and permeation enhancers on the passive and iontophoretic transport of salbutamol sulphate (SS) have been studied through rat skin. The transport of the drug was greater during iontophoresis in comparison to passive diffusion at all pHs studied. Maximum steady state flux (26.38 μg/cm2/hr) was found at pH 11 during cathodal iontophoresis. However, the fraction change in flux was maximum at pH 7.4 during anodal iontophoresis. It was observed that an increase in the current density resulted in the increase of both cathodal and anodal iontophoretic flux. Permeation enhancer, dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), increased the permeability coefficient of SS across the rat skin. One of the most important applications of this study is the possibility of enhancing and controlling the transdermal delivery of salbutamol sulphate by iontophoresis.