CHARACTERIZATION OF A CHITOSAN FILM CONTAINING ALUMINUM PHTHALOCYANINE TETRASULFONATE CHLORIDE (ALS4PC-CL) AND ITS INTERACTION WITH THE SKIN

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy is a treatment used to destroy unwanted cells (cancer, psoriasis, acne, moles, etc.). It involves generating singlet oxygen in the affected areas, combining the action of a photosensitizer, light, and molecular oxygen, to cause cell death. In this study, a photosensitizer, AlPcS4Cl, is immobilized in a chitosan film and an attempt is made to determine whether it transfers to the skin upon contact. The efficiency of the photosensitizer is studied by observing its effect on usnic acid. The chitosan-AlPcS4Cl film was characterized by UV–visible and fluorescence spectroscopic analyses. The potential accumulation of the photosensitizer in skin was evaluated using MALDI-TOF-MS analysis of skin biopsies. It was observed that AlPcS4Cl does cause structural changes in usnic acid. No traces of photosensitizer were detected on mouse skin when it was in contact with chitosan-AlPcS4Cl films, but they were detected when the photosensitizer was directly inoculated into the mouse skin.