A research group from the University of Aveiro (UA) developed and characterized new chlorophyll derivatives, which could help in photodynamic therapy for different types of cancer, the University revealed this Monday.
“The new chlorophyll derivatives have shown promising results in experimental photodynamic therapy trials, both in triple negative breast cancer and in other types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer,” says a UA press release.
As researcher Amparo Faustino explains, “the application of chlorophyll derivatives (extracted from natural sources) as therapeutic agents in photodynamic therapy allows not only to use available resources in a sustainable way, but also to minimize undesirable effects.”
“Besides, The compounds absorb radiation in the red region of the visible spectrum.where light penetrates better into the tissues, facilitating the activation of chlorophyll derivatives present in tumor cells,” he adds.
The new compounds were characterized by their antitumor activity and the research team concludes that they have “very low toxicity in the absence of light and high efficiency in eliminating tumor cells, when activated under controlled lighting conditions.”
“The use of these compounds in photodynamic therapy for triple negative breast cancer could overcome the lack of effective and safe therapeutic approaches for patients,” he says.
According to Amparo Faustino, the treatment “is minimally invasive, and only works in the illuminated area, Be a viable alternative when other therapies fail.especially in cases of resistance to conventional treatments.”
“It is hoped that this approach can be extended to other types of equally aggressive cancers, such as pancreatic and lung cancer,” he explains.
The new chlorophyll derivatives were developed in the laboratories of the Department of Chemistry of the University of Aveiro and the Department of Medical Sciences, with the research group formed by Cristina Dias, Nuno Moura, Amparo Faustino, Graça Neves, Vítor Gaspar, João Mano and Luisa Helguero.
Source: Observadora
