Abstract
Purpose::
To demonstrate the feasibility of local delivery of MPA into the eye using an iontophoresis system.
Methods::
Iontophoresis of MPA was conducted in three different eye models: 1. in vitro using an iontophoresis in vitro device with New Zealand white rabbit eye tissues, 2. in vivo, and 3. postmortem with New Zealand white rabbits using the Visulex system. For in vivo experiments, the rabbits were sacrificed immediately after the iontophoresis treatment and the eyes were then enucleated promptly for dissection and MPA extraction. The MPA was extracted from the tissues using 70% methanol-water and quantified by HPLC.
Results::
The amounts of the MPA in the eye tissues from the in vitro model were comparable to the amounts of the MPA in the postmortem experiments (1.2 ± 0.1 mg). Although the amounts of MPA in the in vivo experiments were lower than in the postmortem experiments, the MPA levels in the in vivo experiment still showed high amounts of drug delivery (0.5 ± 0.1 mg). Additionally, the results suggest the dose of MPA could be controlled by adjusting the current and/or the duration of iontophoresis.
Conclusions::
The results demonstrate the feasibility of MPA delivery to the eye locally using the iontophoretic Visulex delivery system.
Keywords: uveitis-clinical/animal model • inflammation • ion transporters