Cathodal iontophoresis was used to deliver insulin in 23 alloxan-diabetic, male, New Zealand white rabbits. Currents of 0.2–0.8 mA were used to deliver insulin from reservoirs containing insulin concentrations of 10–500 U/ml in aqueous solution. Regardless of the level of current used, within 1 h of turning the current on, blood glucose levels decreased and serum insulin concentrations increased. Moreover, in most cases, blood glucose levels continued to decrease and serum insulin concentrations continued to increase after the current was turned off, suggesting that iontophoresis could be used to accumulate insulin in the skin and subcutaneous tissues. The amount of insulin that was delivered by iontophoresis could be controlled by the level of current used up to 0.4 mA; increasing the current to 0.8 mA did not deliver more insulin. This may have been due to greater production of hydroxide ions at 0.8 mA, which competed with insulin to carry the current, thus slowing the movement of insulin. The amount of insulin delivered could also be controlled by the amount of insulin available for iontophoresis, i.e., as the insulin reservoir concentration increased, more insulin was delivered at the same current level. Finally, skin preparation was also important in controlling insulin delivery. To deliver enough insulin to reduce blood glucose levels, the stratum corneum had to be disrupted or removed by gentle scraping.
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Original Contributions|
February 01 1986
Control of Blood Glucose Levels in Alloxan-diabetic Rabbits by Iontophoresis of Insulin
Bruce Kari
Bruce Kari
Department of Perinatal Research, United and Children's Hospitals
St. Paul, Minnesota
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Address reprint requests to Dr. B. Kari, Perinatal Research L-284, 333 North Smith Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102.
Diabetes 1986;35(2):217–221
Article history
Received:
February 22 1985
Revision Received:
July 28 1985
PubMed:
3510926
Citation
Bruce Kari; Control of Blood Glucose Levels in Alloxan-diabetic Rabbits by Iontophoresis of Insulin. Diabetes 1 February 1986; 35 (2): 217–221. https://doi.org/10.2337/diab.35.2.217
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