Jan Habdas
University of Silesia, Poland
Title: Synthetic derivative of porphyrins as a potential anticancer agents
Biography
Biography: Jan Habdas
Abstract
Since 1903, when a Danish physician Niels Finsen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Phisiology-Medicine for his investigation on applaying light as a cure of skin cancer, and particularly since 1931, when a German chemist Hans Fischer was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work on haemin synthesis, the interest in synthesis of porphyrins with desired properties and their application in medicine has grown significantly. Addtionally, in the second half of the XXth century, photosensitizing properties of porphyrins have been found which combined with the use of laser light and its distribution by fabric optics gave the input for new methods of diagnosis and therapy of cancer. These methods include: Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), Photochemical Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, (PACT) and Photodynamic Distroying of Viruses (PDV). Our investigation of using amide, carboxy and phosphono derivatives of meso-tolyl and meso-piridylporphyrins showed them to be effective photosensitizers in the in vitro tests on MEL 45 and SKMEl 188 (human melanoma) causing a decrease in the number of cancer cells up to threefold. Phosphono derivatives of meso-piridylporphyrins showed a moderate inhibitory activity towards aminopeptidase N, which is responsible for tumor cells growth. The in vivo tests on mice manifested some toxic effects which are possible unwanted side effects.A known side effect during human therapy is photosensitivity of patients which lasts from two up to four weeks, during which time the patients need to be kept in dark rooms.