IONTOPHORESIS-ENHANCED CUTANEOUS ABSORPTION OF 5-AMINOLEVULINIC ACID SHORTENS THE INCUBATION PERIOD IN PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY

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The combination of light and chemicals to treat skin diseases is widely practiced in the field of dermatology, and has led to the concept of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in recent years. PDT is a promising modality for managing various cancers and nonmalignant diseases, and is based on the combination of selective localization of a photosensitizer in the target tissue cells and the subsequent illumination of the lesions with visible light resulting in photodamage and cell death. PDT with topical 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) has been increasingly employed to treat skin cancers,however the dosing of ALA has never been optimized. Using iontophoresis, we have developed a rapid and quantifiable system for the topical delivery of ALA, and we measured the subsequent fluorescence of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) and phototoxicity. Iontophoresis is a rapid method for the delivery of ALA into skin lesions, making prolonged incubation of the ALA unnecessary and potentially leading to more efficient PDT.