AMINOSQUARYLIUM CYANINES DYES AND EVALUATION OF THEIR EFFECT ON THE PROLIFERATION AND VIABILITY OF HEPG-2 CELLS AND CACO-2 IN CULTURE

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an attractive alternative to the traditional cancer therapies. It involves the administration of a photosensitizing drug that accumulates preferentially in the neoplasic cells, which, by itself, is harmless and has no effect on either healthy or abnormal tissue. PDT photosensitizer candidates must fulfil some requirements, e.g., strong absorption (>105 M-1cm-1) ideally in the so-called 'photodynamic window' (600-850 nm), should be able to generate reactive species such as singlet oxygen in quantitative yields, have minimal dark toxicity and only be cytotoxic when the photosensitizer is irradiated with light of an appropriated wavelength.[1