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Updated: May 20, 2026

Development, Characterization, and Evaluation of CAGE-based Ionic Liquid Systems for Transdermal Delivery
Published on: September 26, 2025
Evaluation of acyclovir cream and gel formulations for transdermal iontophoretic delivery
Srujana Siddoju1, Vishal Sachdeva, Phillip M Friden
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mercer University. 3001 Mercer University Drive, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
Background:
Efficient iontophoretic transdermal delivery of hydrophilic drug molecules requires selection of appropriate aqueous formulation. In this study, oil/water cream and gel formulations were investigated for iontophoretic transdermal delivery of acyclovir (ACV), a model hydrophilic small-drug molecule, across hairless rat skin on Franz diffusion cells.
Results:
Iontophoresis (0.2 mA/cm2) enhanced ACV delivery from both 5% cream (pH 6.8) and 4% gel (pH II) formulations. However, sixfold higher drug levels were delivered across the skin using gel formulation (12.25 +/- 4.04 microg/cm2) as compared with cream formulation (2.03 +/- 0.05 microg/cm2). Significantly higher drug levels were delivered when iontophoresis was performed at higher current density (0.32 mA/cm2; p < 0.05). Influence of formulation co-solvents (glycerin and propylene glycol) on drug delivery was also investigated in vitro using Franz cells and in vivo in hairless rats using microdialysis.
Conclusion:
Iontophoretic transdermal delivery of ACV was feasible and dependent on the selection of formulation components and delivery parameters.
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