Which statement is correct for iontophoresis medications used to treat inflammation?

• A. DEX (-)
• B. Lido (+)
• C. Saline (-)
• D. Acetic Acid (-)

Answer: (A)

Iontophoresis moves charged medication through the skin using direct current, so the drug must carry a charge and be paired with the appropriate electrode polarity to be driven into tissue. For treating inflammation, a corticosteroid in phosphate form—dexamethasone phosphate—has a negative charge. Because it’s negatively charged, it’s delivered with the negative polarity over the drug pad, which pushes the ion into the underlying tissues where inflammation is present.

Lidocaine is a local anesthetic and isn’t used to reduce inflammation through iontophoresis. Saline isn’t an anti-inflammatory agent; it’s mainly used to improve conductivity or serve as a control. Acetic acid is used for conditions like calcific tendonitis to dissolve calcium deposits, not general inflammatory conditions. Therefore, the correct statement is that the anti-inflammatory iontophoretic medication is a negatively charged dexamethasone formulation.