title: Photosensitivity: a current biological overview.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The level of interest in photoirritation (phototoxicity) has increased because of the awareness among the scientific community of the increase in the UV portion of the solar spectrum reaching the earth. The need of new chemicals and drugs puts pressure on pre-test methods for side effects, especially interactive adverse effects with UV light. So pre-marketing clinical trials conducted before a new drug is licensed are essential, as such, at the early phases of the discovery process of the drug/chemical, developing an efficacious photosensitivity testing system is prudent to avoid such potential side effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review published literature and provide an overview on exogenous photosensitivity and assays used to evaluate the photosensitivity potential of drugs/chemicals. As well as testing considerations by the Regulatory bodies (namely, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S Food and Drug Administration and the European Union regulatory agencies).
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched medical and scientific search engines as well as websites of the EU and US Regulatory agencies and used keywords such as cutaneous phototoxicity, phototoxicity in vitro assays, phototoxicity in vivo assays and other related terms.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. denaelkeeb@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Dena
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elkeeb
authors.forename: Laila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Elkeeb
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maibach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017454:Dermatitis, Photoallergic / Q000209:etiology*; D017484:Dermatitis, Phototoxic / Q000209:etiology*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D006801:Humans; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents