Tag: Pdt

First discovered more than a century ago, the concept of using light to activate therapeutic compounds has evolved into a sophisticated medical technique. While there is no such thing as a "photosynthesizing drug," this query typically refers to a **photosensitizing drug**, a key component of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT).

In both plants and animals, 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is the essential starting point for the production of all tetrapyrrole compounds, including the vital pigment heme. This central role is exploited in medicine, where understanding what is the function of aminolevulinic acid is key to its use in cancer treatment and diagnosis.