PULSE MODE IONTOPHORESIS OF INSULIN - A NEW APPROACH TO CONTROL BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN DIABETIC RATS.

Using the knowledge of electrical properties of the skin, a novel pulse-mode iontophoresic device has been designed and used in the control of blood glucose levels (BGL) in diabetic animals. Hairless rats with diabetes induced by intraperitonial injection of streptozocin were used as the animal model in an in-vivo study. Experimental results show a significantly enhanced transdermal insulin delivery by the pulse mode method. It is also found that the frequency and duty cycle of the square waveforms used play an important role in the efficacy of treatment. A better result in terms of percentage decreases in BGL after the treatments is associated with a higher frequency and smaller duty cycle.