Hypericin lights up the way for the potential treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer by photodynamic therapy.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the administration of a photosensitizer followed by light irradiation with a specific wavelength, giving rise to irreversible tissue destruction. Hypericin, a herbal extract derived from Hypericum perforatum or St. John's Wort, has minimal toxicity but exhibits potent photo-damaging effects in the presence of light. Hypericin is known to generate a high yield of singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen species that are associated with photo-oxidative cellular damage. The application of PDT with hypericin for the treatment of cancers such as recurrent mesothelioma and skin cancer has been validated in clinical trials. This mini-review focuses on the investigative studies of hypericin as a potential photodynamic agent in the treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) in in vitro and in vivo models. NPC is an enigmatic tumor with a multifactorial etiology and a high incidence in the populations of Southern China.
Olivo
Malini
M
Department of Medical Sciences, National Cancer Center, Singapore, Singapore.
Du
Hong-Yan
HY
Bay
Boon-Huat
BH
D000818:Animals; D000873:Anthracenes; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000235:genetics; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D010569:Perylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
D000873:Anthracenes; D016207:Cytokines; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D010569:Perylene; C004965:hypericin; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1