Quenching of singlet oxygen by haematoporphyrin derivative (and haematoporphyrin) and its consequences on the efficiency of photodynamic cancer therapy

Abstract

Haematoporphyrin derivative used in photodynamic therapy and haematoporphyrin quench singlet oxygen that they produce (rate constants 5 × 10⁸ and 8 × 10⁸ dm³ mol^–1 s^–1, respectively) with the consequence that in photodynamic therapy an increase of the sensitizer concentration may induce a very noticeable reduction of the efficiency of the photo-oxidative damage to tumour cells.