4.7 Review

Photodynamic therapy: Innovative approaches for antibacterial and anticancer treatments

Journal

MEDICINAL RESEARCH REVIEWS
Volume 43, Issue 4, Pages 717-774

Publisher

WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/med.21935

Keywords

irradiation; light; photodynamic therapy; photosensitizer; reactive oxygen species

Ask authors/readers for more resources

Photodynamic therapy is an alternative treatment for cancer and bacterial infections that was discovered in 1900 by Oscar Raab and Professor Hermann von Tappeiner. It involves the administration of a photosensitizer followed by light irradiation to induce reactive oxygen species and cell death. While this treatment is not new, there are ongoing modifications and improvements in terms of the photosensitizer's selectivity and efficiency, as well as the types of light sources used.
Photodynamic therapy is an alternative treatment mainly for cancer but also for bacterial infections. This treatment dates back to 1900 when a German medical school graduate Oscar Raab found a photodynamic effect while doing research for his doctoral dissertation with Professor Hermann von Tappeiner. Unexpectedly, Raab revealed that the toxicity of acridine on paramecium depends on the intensity of light in his laboratory. Photodynamic therapy is therefore based on the administration of a photosensitizer with subsequent light irradiation within the absorption maxima of this substance followed by reactive oxygen species formation and finally cell death. Although this treatment is not a novelty, there is an endeavor for various modifications to the therapy. For example, selectivity and efficiency of the photosensitizer, as well as irradiation with various types of light sources are still being modified to improve final results of the photodynamic therapy. The main aim of this review is to summarize anticancer and antibacterial modifications, namely various compounds, approaches, and techniques, to enhance the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy.

Authors

I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.

Reviews

Primary Rating

4.7
Not enough ratings

Secondary Ratings

Novelty
-
Significance
-
Scientific rigor
-
Rate this paper

Recommended

No Data Available
No Data Available