Aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride

Pronunciation

Definition 1

A drug used to treat actinic keratosis (a skin condition that may become cancer). The drug is also being studied in the treatment of squamous cell and basal cell skin cancers and other types of cancer. When aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride is taken up by cells, including cancer cells, and then exposed to certain types of light, it becomes active and kills the cells. It is a type of photosensitizing agent. Also called Levulan and Levulan Kerastick. (NCI Dictionary)

Definition 2

The hydrochloride salt form of aminolevulinic acid, an aminoketone, used for local photosensitizing therapy. Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a metabolic pro-drug that is converted into the photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), which accumulates intracellularly. Upon exposure to light of appropriate wavelength (red, or blue), PpIX catalyzes oxygen to singlet oxygen, an intracellular toxin, which can further react to form superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. This leads to cellular cytotoxic effects. (NCI Thesaurus)

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