Photophysical properties of pheophorbide a in solution and in model membrane systems

Abstract

<jats:p> Pheophorbide a (Pheo) is a well-known hydrophobic photosensitizer used for photodynamic treatment of various diseases. The influence of the surroundings on the electronic properties of photosensitizers mainly accumulating in membrane structures is of relevance for their photoactivity. In this paper the current knowledge about the electronic properties of Pheo in different microheterogeneous environments is summarized and new findings about its incorparation in different model membranes are discussed. </jats:p>

Singlet oxygen luminescence kinetics in a heterogeneous environment — identification of the photosensitizer localization in small unilamellar vesicles

“…As mentioned above, Pheo is known to be incorporated in membranes. 17 In liposomal dispersion we determined a Pheo triplet decay time of 1.98 ± 0.20 µs (Fig. 3, bottom) which is comparable to values reported before.…”

Photodynamic Synergistic Effect of Pheophorbide a and Doxorubicin in Combined Treatment against Tumoral Cells

“…PhA is a chlorophyll-based metabolite endowed with appealing photophysical properties, such as strong absorption in the red part of the spectrum, red fluorescence and a high capacity to generate 1 O 2 when it is in monomeric form ( Table 1 ). Our values are in excellent agreement with previous literature reports (Φ ∆ = 0.59 in EtOH; Φ ∆ < 0.02 in water) [ 62 , 63 ]. PhA has been evaluated as a PDT agent against different cancer malignancies [ 40 , 64 ].…”

Nondestructive analysis of senescence in mesophyll cells by spectral resolution of protein synthesis‐dependent pigment metabolism

“…The spectral properties of phd, which accumulates at the blockage point in the chlorophyll catabolism pathway in G (Roca et al ., 2004, Fig. 2), correspond to the reflectance signature of day 6 vs day 0 G. A blue shift of 10–15 nm is consistent with known differences in the properties of pigments measured in vivo and in vitro (Röder et al ., 2000; Zucchelli et al ., 2002). MDMP treatment confirms that development of the presumptive phd signature in vivo is protein synthesis‐dependent (Fig.…”