A Strategy to Optimize the Operation Conditions in Iontophoretic Transdermal Delivery of Pilocarpine

Abstract

Optimization via experiments in iontophoresis was investigated. A response surface method was applied in optimizing the operating conditions in iontophoretic transdermal delivery of pilocarpine. With an objective for a transitory application of pilocarpine, i.e. in diagnosis of cystic fibrosis or in treatment of hyperhidrosis, the best operating condition was achieved via a response surface method by adjusting the pH of the buffer, ionic strength, current amplitude and frequency of pulsed current or active temporal ratio etc. based on unknown structural models with stationary or slowly varying optima in the region of interest. This strategy was easy to approach and efficient in seeking optimal experimental conditions for multiple variables and an unknown structural system. Satisfactory results in optimizing the operating conditions in iontophoretic transdermal delivery of pilocarpine were thereby achieved.