A multi-convex electrode structure with coupled multi-electric fields for drug transdermal absorption

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a multi-protrusion electrode structure for coupling multiple electric fields for transdermal drug absorption, comprising: a structural body, wherein an AC high-voltage electrode is provided in the structural body for introducing high-voltage AC current; and a DC low-voltage electrode is also provided in the structural body for introducing low-voltage DC current, so as to act on the transdermal drug absorption through coupling with the high-voltage AC current introduced by the AC high-voltage electrode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of medical devices, and in particular relates to a multi-protrusion electrode structure coupled with multiple electric fields for transdermal drug absorption. Background Art

[0002] External use of Chinese medicine has achieved certain results in treating arthritis, bruises and other bone diseases. However, the means currently available on the market for promoting transdermal absorption of external use Chinese medicine are relatively limited, mainly including electroporation technology and ion introduction technology. Among them, electroporation technology is to apply high voltage on the surface of the skin. Under the action of high-intensity electric field, a temporary small pore channel is formed in the epidermis of the skin without causing damage to the skin. The drug molecules applied to the epidermis can enter the subcutaneous layer through the small pore channel and be absorbed by the capillaries. After a certain period of time, the small pore channel in the epidermis will close naturally. The limitation of this method is that the small pore channel formed is very small and only relying on the self-absorption of the drug is sufficient. However, it diffuses into the subcutaneous tissue, but the penetration efficiency is slow and the penetration amount is limited. Ion introduction technology is to attach DC positive and negative electrodes to local areas of the skin, apply liquid medicine between the skin and the electrodes, so that the drug particles pass through the DC electric field loop formed under the epidermis, enter the subcutaneous tissue along the direction of the DC electric field and are absorbed by the capillaries. The limitation of this method is that it is basically ineffective for molecular drugs with weak or no conductivity. For ionic drugs, due to the barrier of the epidermis, the amount of drug transdermal absorption is also extremely limited. If the time is increased, the skin immersed in the drug solution for a long time will cause the keratinocytes to swell and squeeze, which is not conducive to the penetration and absorption of the drug. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In response to the deficiencies in the prior art, the purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a multi-protrusion electrode structure that couples multiple electric fields for transdermal drug absorption. This electrode structure can enable the electroporation effect, iontophoresis effect, and plasma activation effect to act synergistically on transdermal drug absorption, thereby improving the transdermal efficiency of drugs.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present disclosure provides the following technical solutions:

[0005] A multi-protrusion electrode structure coupled with multiple electric fields for drug transdermal absorption, comprising:

[0006] Structural body;

[0007] An AC high-voltage electrode is provided in the structural body for introducing high-voltage AC power;

[0008] The main body of the structure is also provided with a DC low-voltage electrode for introducing low-voltage DC power, so as to couple the low-voltage AC power introduced by the AC high-voltage electrode with the high-voltage AC power to promote transdermal absorption of the drug.

[0009] Preferably, the structural body includes a dielectric shell and an electrode shell.

[0010] Preferably, the AC high voltage electrode is in a ring shape.

[0011] Preferably, an electrode bump is provided on the side of the AC high-voltage electrode opposite to the dielectric shell.

[0012] Preferably, the electrode bump includes at least one.

[0013] Preferably, the dielectric shell is provided with dielectric cap-shaped bumps on the side facing the DC low-voltage electrode, the positions and quantities of which correspond to the electrode bumps.

[0014] Preferably, a groove is provided at the bottom of the medium housing.

[0015] Preferably, a DC low-voltage electrode and cotton wool are provided in the groove.

[0016] Preferably, the medicinal cotton is higher than the plane where the lower edge of the medium shell is located in the axial direction.

[0017] Preferably, the electrode structure includes at least one pair.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] 1. The present disclosure can achieve synergistic effects of electroporation, iontophoresis, and plasma activation on drug transdermal absorption, greatly improving drug transdermal efficiency;

[0020] 2. The present disclosure is not limited to the use of different types of drugs: for molecular Chinese medicine solutions, the charged particles in the plasma will diffuse into the solution, and the attached drug molecules will penetrate directly into the subcutaneous tissue along the direction of the DC electric field through the microporous channels formed by the electroporation effect. This has a better enhancement effect on the transdermal absorption of ionic Western medicine solutions. For solutions combining Chinese and Western medicine, it does not have a selective transdermal effect, allowing the efficacy of the drugs after transdermal absorption to be fully exerted.

[0021] 3. The electrodes are safe to use and will not cause harm to the human body;

[0022] 4. Eliminate the use of chemical drugs to enhance skin permeability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 This is a front view of a multi-protrusion electrode structure coupled with multiple electric fields for transdermal drug absorption provided by one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 2 is a top view of a multi-protrusion electrode structure coupled with multiple electric fields for transdermal drug absorption provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the disassembly of the electrode structure shown;

[0026] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the electrode structure shown;

[0027] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the medium shell;

[0028] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the dielectric housing shown;

[0029] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the application of the electrode structure shown;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram comparing single ion introduction and the present electrode structure;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram comparing single electroporation and the present electrode structure;

[0032] The following are the descriptions of the reference numerals:

[0033] 1000, AC high-voltage electrode (1001, electrode protrusion); 2000, DC low-voltage electrode; 3000, cotton wool; 4000, electrode shell; 5000, dielectric shell (5001, dielectric cap-shaped protrusion; 5002, groove; 5003, threaded structure); 6000, DC transmission line; 7000, high-voltage transmission line. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The following will refer to the attached Figures 1 to 9 Specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail. Although specific embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments described herein. Instead, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0035] It should be noted that certain words are used in the specification and claims to refer to specific components. Those skilled in the art should understand that technicians may use different nouns to refer to the same component. This specification and claims do not use the difference in nouns as a way to distinguish components, but use the difference in the functions of the components as the criterion for distinction. As mentioned throughout the specification and claims, "including" or "comprising" is an open term, so it should be interpreted as "including but not limited to". The subsequent description of the specification is a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, but the description is based on the general principles of the specification and is not used to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The scope of protection of the present disclosure shall be as defined by the attached claims.

[0036] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure, further explanation will be given below using specific embodiments as examples in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the accompanying drawings do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0037] In one embodiment, if Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the present disclosure provides a multi-protrusion electrode structure for coupling multiple electric fields for transdermal drug absorption, comprising:

[0038] The main structure includes two parts: the electrode shell 4000 and the dielectric shell 5000. Figure 5 、 Figure 6 As shown, a raised thread structure 5003 is provided in the middle of the dielectric shell 5000, and the thread structure has an external thread. The electrode shell 4000 is a cylindrical structure with an internal thread, so that it is connected to the dielectric shell 5000 through a threaded connection to achieve the packaging of the structural body.

[0039] A first circular hole and a second circular hole are respectively provided in the middle of the electrode shell 4000 and the dielectric shell 5000. The positions of the first circular hole and the second circular hole are strictly aligned, so that the DC transmission line 6000 can pass through the first circular hole and exit from the second circular hole and connect with the DC low-voltage electrode 2000 arranged at the bottom of the dielectric shell 5000, so that the DC low-voltage electrode 2000 can introduce external low-voltage DC power through the DC transmission line 6000.

[0040] Furthermore, an AC high-voltage electrode 1000 is arranged between the electrode shell 4000 and the dielectric shell 5000. A notch is opened on one side of the dielectric shell 5000. The high-voltage transmission line 7000 passes through the notch into the dielectric shell 5000 and is connected to the AC high-voltage electrode 1000, so that the AC high-voltage electrode 1000 can introduce external high-voltage AC power through the high-voltage transmission line 7000.

[0041] In this embodiment, the AC high-voltage electrode generates an electroporation effect by introducing high-voltage AC current, forming microporous channels on the skin surface. This also simultaneously causes the air on the skin surface to be broken down, generating plasma. The low-voltage DC electrode generates an iontophoresis effect by introducing low-voltage DC current to the skin surface, creating an electric field loop that introduces plasma. The plasma diffuses into the drug solution acting on the skin surface, activating the drug solution. Compared to existing technologies, the electrode structure described in this embodiment enables the electroporation effect, iontophoresis effect, and plasma activation effect to act synergistically on drug transdermal absorption, thereby improving drug transdermal efficiency.

[0042] In another embodiment, the AC high-voltage electrode 1000 is annular, and conical electrode bumps 1001 are evenly distributed on the side of the AC high-voltage electrode 1000 facing the dielectric housing 5000 (theoretically, one electrode bump is sufficient, but to improve work efficiency, this embodiment uses four electrode bumps, and the number can be adjusted as needed). Simultaneously, dielectric cap-shaped bumps 5001 are evenly distributed on the side of the dielectric housing 5000 facing the DC low-voltage electrode 2000, corresponding in position to and in the same number as the electrode bumps 1001.

[0043] In another embodiment, a groove 5002 is provided at the bottom of the dielectric housing 5000. A DC low-voltage electrode 2000 and cotton wool 3000 are tightly fitted together from the inside to the outside of the groove 5002. The axial dimension of the cotton wool 3000 is higher than the plane where the lower edge of the dielectric housing 5000 is located.

[0044] The above embodiments constitute the complete technical solution of the present disclosure. Figure 7 The working principle of the above embodiment is described in detail.

[0045] In specific applications, two electrode structures need to be used in pairs, but the use is not limited to only one pair of electrode structures. When the electrode structures are used in pairs, the paired electrode structures can be connected by flexible materials or floating structures.

[0046] First, a cotton ball is soaked with liquid medicine and placed in groove 5002. At this point, the DC low-voltage electrode 2000 in one electrode structure is connected to a positive DC low-voltage output terminal with a voltage of 12V to 24V; the AC high-voltage electrode 1000 is connected to a positive AC high-voltage output terminal with a voltage of 7kV to 9kV; the DC low-voltage electrode 2000 in the other electrode structure is connected to a negative DC low-voltage output terminal with a voltage of 12V to 24V; and the AC high-voltage electrode 1000 is connected to a negative AC high-voltage output terminal with a voltage of 7kV to 9kV. By connecting high-voltage AC power, an electroporation effect is generated, creating microporous channels in the epidermis of the skin. Furthermore, plasma is generated through dielectric barrier, enriching the liquid medicine with charged particles and improving its conductivity. Simultaneously, by connecting low-voltage DC power, the low-voltage DC power passes through the cotton ball, forming an electric field loop between the skin's epidermis and the external circuit, allowing the liquid medicine to penetrate the subcutaneous layer through the microporous channels along the direction of the electric field. After connecting the DC low-voltage output terminal and the AC high-voltage output terminal, the electrode structure is attached to the skin surface. Because the cotton wool is higher than the plane of the lower edge of the dielectric shell in the axial direction, when the electrode structure is attached to the skin surface, the cotton wool 3000 is squeezed, causing the liquid to be squeezed out and applied to the skin surface. When the electrode is connected to the power supply, since the electrode protrusion 1001 is connected to an external sinusoidal high voltage, in order to prevent the external strong current from damaging the human skin, the electrode protrusion 1001 needs to be inserted into the corresponding dielectric cap-shaped protrusion 5001 made of high-resistance material (the high-resistance material can limit the growth of the discharge current and act as a ballast). At the same time, the electric field outside the dielectric cap-shaped protrusion 5001 is not affected, and the high-voltage alternating electric field still exists, causing the air in the gap outside the dielectric cap-shaped protrusion 5001 to be broken down, and the gas molecules collide with each other in the high-voltage alternating electric field, thereby generating plasma. The active particles in the plasma diffuse freely into the liquid medicine applied on the skin surface. At this time, the liquid medicine is activated, thereby increasing the conductivity and electrical polarity of the liquid medicine.

[0047] At the same time, since the electrode structure is attached to the skin surface, the skin in the area where the electrode structure is attached is slightly bulged due to compression. At this time, the outer top of the dielectric cap-shaped protrusion 5001 is closest to the bulged skin, and there is an electric potential difference between the two, which will form a current channel caused by irregular discharge. This current channel will act on the skin surface to form electroporation, thereby forming transient micropores in the epidermis of the skin. At this time, the drug solution on the skin surface will penetrate into the lower epidermis through the micropores.

[0048] Furthermore, since the flat DC low-voltage electrodes 2000 in the two electrode structures are respectively connected to the positive and negative poles of the external circuit, an electric field loop will be formed below the superficial layer of the skin. After the drug solution with enhanced electrical polarity enters the skin through the micropores, it will move along the direction of the electric field and be absorbed by the capillaries below the epidermis, so that it can finally enter the body completely.

[0049] Next, the present disclosure conducted a Franz diffusion cell transdermal experiment using rat skin as the research object (the diffusion cell is divided into a supply cell on the upper side and a receiving cell on the lower side). Diclofenac sodium was used as the tool drug. The tool drug was added from the supply cell side, and the solution was drawn from the receiving cell side according to the time gradient. The drawn solution was detected using an enzyme marker at a wavelength of 275nm. The test results are shown in FIG. Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown. In this embodiment, the tool drug is diclofenac sodium, which can be detected at a wavelength of 275nm in the microplate reader. Figure 8 and Figure 9 In the experiment, the two control groups were a single iontophoresis drug transdermal experiment and a single electroporation drug transdermal experiment, and the experimental groups were all drug transdermal experiments carried out using the electrode structure described in the present disclosure. It can be seen that as time goes by, the absorbance detected on one side of the absorption cell shows an increasing trend. At each time gradient point, the absorbance value of the experimental group is higher than that of the control group (absorbance can directly reflect the concentration of the drug in the solution, and absorbance is proportional to the concentration of the drug in the solution). Therefore, it can be concluded that the electrode structure shown in the present disclosure is superior to the existing single means in promoting the transdermal absorption of drugs.

[0050] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific embodiments and application fields. The above-mentioned specific embodiments are merely illustrative and instructive, and are not restrictive. A person skilled in the art, guided by this specification and without departing from the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention, may also devise various forms, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-convex electrode structure for coupling multiple electric fields for transdermal drug absorption, comprising: Structural body; The main structure includes an electrode shell and a dielectric shell. A raised thread structure is provided in the middle of the dielectric shell. The thread structure has an external thread. The electrode shell is a cylindrical structure with an internal thread. The electrode shell and the dielectric shell are connected by threads to realize the encapsulation of the main structure. A first circular hole and a second circular hole are respectively provided in the middle of the electrode shell and the dielectric shell. The positions of the first circular hole and the second circular hole are strictly aligned so that a DC transmission line can pass through the first circular hole and pass through the second circular hole to connect to a DC low-voltage electrode provided at the bottom of the dielectric shell, so that the DC low-voltage electrode can be connected to an external low-voltage DC power through the DC transmission line. An AC high-voltage electrode is provided in the structural body for introducing high-voltage AC power; The main body of the structure is also provided with a DC low-voltage electrode for introducing low-voltage DC power, so as to couple the high-voltage AC power introduced by the AC high-voltage electrode to promote transdermal absorption of the drug. The AC high-voltage electrode is annular, and conical electrode bumps are evenly distributed on the side of the AC high-voltage electrode opposite to the dielectric shell, and dielectric cap-shaped bumps corresponding to the positions of the electrode bumps and with a known number are evenly distributed on the side of the dielectric shell opposite to the DC low-voltage electrode.

2. The electrode structure according to claim 1, wherein: The electrode bump includes at least one.

3. The electrode structure according to claim 1, wherein: A groove is provided at the bottom of the medium housing.

4. The electrode structure according to claim 3, wherein: A DC low-voltage electrode and cotton wool are arranged in the groove.

5. The electrode structure according to claim 4, wherein: The medicinal cotton is higher than the plane where the lower edge of the medium shell is located in the axial direction.

6. The electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The electrode structure includes at least one pair.

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