Natural photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy: chemical-pharmacological search in plants and analytical procedures

Abstract

The main goal of this project is the chemical-pharmacological search of natural photosensitizers in Brazilian plants (Amaranthaceae-Gomphreneae and Myrtaceae - genus Campomanesia, Eugenia and Myrcia) and development of analytical produres, aimed at photodynamic therapy (PDT) employment. The phytochemical study will be carried using absorption spectra measurement in the visible region and bioassays of antimicrobial (against bacteria and fungi) and antiproliferative (against tumoral cells) activities to guide the fractionation. The phytochemical study will be accomplished using chromatographic methods and the chemical structure of isolated and purified compounds will be established by IR, UV-vis, ESI-MS and NMR spectroscopic methods. Thus, will be accomplished the chemical-pharmacological study prospecting potential bioactive extracts and natural photosensitizers in Brazilian plants for antimicrobial and anticancer photodynamic therapy employment, as well as to obtain new input sources for odontology, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and others uses. (AU)