Effect of the different factors on the iontophoretic delivery of calcium ions from bentonite

The calcium content of mud patches used for therapy is very small. Several mineral clays originating from Hungary served as a base material for experiments in order to find a suitable drug for transdermal introduction of calcium ions into the body. The Ca++ transport through the pig skin has been investigated in vitro in diffusion cells applying iontophoresis. Studies of electrical and physicochemical factors acting on the permeation kinetics of in vitro experiments were performed. The utilization of direct current has intensified the Ca++ transport through the pig skin (129.78+/-26. 15 microgram Ca/cm2). On using pulsate currents the amount of the Ca++ penetrating through the skin was 5-10 times higher (283.18+/-16.89 microgram Ca/cm2, 388.71+/-19.90 microgram Ca/cm2) than that of the passive transport (36.22+/-14.20 microgram Ca/cm2). The amount of Ca++ cumulated in the receptor compartment was directly proportional to the amount of bentonite (a natural mineral clay with a large cation exchange capacity) in the donor compartment and to the concentration of Ca++ in the lattice of the applied mineral clay. Therefore, the experiments were carried out on a bentonite previously enriched in Ca++ in its lattice (50 mg Ca/g bentonite). The results of the in vitro studies could open a new field of application in the therapy of osteoporosis or in the use of mineral substances.