Psoralen

Pronunciation

Definition 1

A substance from plants that is sensitive to light (or can be activated by light). Psoralens are used together with UV light to treat psoriasis, vitiligo, and skin nodules of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. They are also being studied in the treatment of graft-versus-host disease. Psoralen is a type of furocoumarin. An example of a psoralen is methoxsalen. (NCI Dictionary)

Definition 2

A furocoumarin that intercalates with DNA, inhibiting DNA synthesis and cell division. Psoralen is used in Photochemotherapy with high-intensity long-wavelength UVA irradiation. Psoralens are tricyclic furocumarins and have a strong tendency to intercalate with DNA base pairs. Irradiation of nucleic acids in the presence of psoralen with long wave UV (~360 nm) results in the 2+2 cyclo- addition of either of its two photoreactive sites with 5,6-carbon bonds of pyrimidines resulting in crosslinking double-stranded nucleic acids. (NCI Thesaurus)

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