Patent ID: 7398121

Claim:
An iontophoresis device useful for administering an ionic drug by iontophoresis, said iontophoresis device having an iontophoresis electrode section (active electrode section) and a ground electrode section (inactive electrode section) both of which are connected to a power source, comprising (1) said iontophoresis electrode section comprises: (1)-1. an electrode plate connected to said power source of the same polarity as the charged ions of said ionic drug, (1)-2. an electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane arranged on a front side of said electrode plate and retaining therein an electrolyte solution in such a state that said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane is impregnated with said electrolyte solution, (1)-3. an ion exchange membrane arranged on a front side of said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane and selective to ions opposite in polarity to said charged ions of said ionic drug, (1)-4. an ionic-drug-retaining membrane arranged on a front side of said ion exchange membrane and retaining therein said ionic drug in such a state that said ionic-drug-retaining membrane is impregnated with said ionic drug, and (1)-5. an ion-exchange membrane arranged on a front side of said ionic-drug-retaining membrane and selective to ions of the same species as said charged ions of said ionic drug; and (2) said ground electrode section comprises: (2)-1. an electrode plate opposite in polarity to said electrode plate in said iontophoresis electrode section, (2)-2. an electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane arranged on a front side of said electrode plate and retaining therein an electrolyte solution in such a state that said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane is impregnated with said electrolyte solution, and (2)-3. an ion exchange membrane arranged on a front side of said electrolyte-solution-retaining membrane and selective to ions opposite in polarity to said charged ions of said ionic drug, wherein two said electrolyte-solution-retaining membranes in both said introphoresis and ground electrode sections retain therein an electrolyte solution containing one or more compounds which have an oxidation-reduction potential lower than the oxidation-reduction potential of water in electrolysis in such a state that two said electrolyte-solution-retaining membranes are impregnated with said electrolyte solution, and said electrolyte solution contains (1) lactic acid and sodium fumarate, or (2) ferrous sulfate and ferric sulfate.