THE PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF SENSITIZERS FOR PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY

The preparation and photophysical properties of a number of water-soluble metallated phthalocyanines are described. These compounds have been shown to be effective photosensitizers for the destruction of tumours. The photophysics of various aluminium phthalocyanines of different degrees of sulphonation, from mono (S1) to tetra (S4); and of various disulphonated (S2) regioisomers was shown to be broadly similar, although the compounds varied greatly in terms of lipo solubility, and phototoxicity. The effect of change of axial ligand, and of binding to the serum protein human serum albumin upon the photophysics of the dyes is also reported.