title: Dark and photohemolysis of erythrocytes by furocoumarins.
abstract: It has been shown that various furocoumarins are able to cause dark hemolysis in red blood cells (RBC). However, this effect is evident only at relatively high furocoumarin concentrations (4.6 x 10(-4) M) - much higher than those used in photosensitization experiments or photochemotherapeutic treatments. Among the various furocoumarins examined in this study, only psoralen (Ps) and 3-carbethoxypsoralen (3-CPs) showed strong photohemolytic effects, while the other compounds revealed little or no activity. This fact indicates that Ps and 3-CPs are able to induce selective damage to the cell membrane of RBC. By pre-irradiating furocoumarin in ethanol or isotonic saline solutions and adding the irradiated solutions to a RBC suspension, hemolysis was observed in various compounds. The products of photolysis which form during pre-irradiation may be responsible, in terms of hemolysis, for toxic effects on RBC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Padova.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vedaldi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caffieri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miolo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dall'Acqua
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arslan
mesh_terms: D003624:Darkness; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D011564:Furocoumarins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008027:Light; D010777:Photochemistry; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D011564:Furocoumarins