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Light‐Activated Pharmaceuticals: Mechanisms and Detection
Author(s) -
Kessel David,
Reiners John
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
israel journal of chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.908
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1869-5868
pISSN - 0021-2148
DOI - 10.1002/ijch.201100059
Subject(s) - photodynamic therapy , porphyrin , reactive oxygen species , oxygen , photochemistry , chemistry , biophysics , fluorescence , excited state , reactive nitrogen species , biochemistry , biology , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , nuclear physics
Photodynamic therapy relies on the interaction between light, oxygen and a photosensitizing agent. Its medical significance relates to the ability of certain agents, usually based on porphyrin or phthalocyanine structures, to localize somewhat selectively in neoplastic cells and their vasculature. Subsequent irradiation, preferably at a sufficiently high wavelength to have a significant pathway through tissues, results in a photophysical reaction whereby the excited state of the photosensitizing agent transfers energy to molecular oxygen and results in the formation of reactive oxygen species. Analogous reactive nitrogen species are also formed. These contain both nitrogen and oxygen atoms. The net result is both direct tumor cell death and a shutdown of the tumor vasculature. Other processes may also occur that promote the anti‐tumor response but these are outside the scope of this review.