RELATION BETWEEN SOME PHOTOBIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF FUROCOUMARINS AND THEIR EXTENT OF SINGLET OXYGEN PRODUCTION

Abstract
Abstract— The production of singlet oxygen (1O2) by a series of furocoumarins with different skin sensitizing abilities has been investigated with methods already proven to be suitable to establish the ability of 8‐methoxypsoralen (8‐MOP) to generate 1O2.The following compounds: 5‐methoxypsoralen (5‐MOP), psoralen, 4,5′,8‐trimethylpsoralen (TMP) and 5,8–dimethoxypsoralen (5,8–DMOP), are able to generate 1O2 when irradiated with long–wave ultraviolet light. With the photobiologically inactive angelicin no 1O2 production has been found. The relative extent of 1O2 formation has been determined for the various furocoumarins and has been compared with literature data for the skin photosensitizing effect. The observed relation between experimental data on the one side and the literature data on the other side is discussed.

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