PHOTOPHARMACOLOGY

*Dr. Jyoti Bobde

ABSTRACT

Photopharmacology means the use of light to precisely deliver the drug at the target site. Such a novel method of drug delivery system improve drug specificity by reducing off-target effects.[1] The energy of light is used to change the shape and chemical properties of the drug, resulting in different mechanism of action of the drug. This is done to eventually get control when and where the drugs are active in a reversible manner, to prevent side effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.[2] Selectivity to target site/organ can be increased by various strategies, and Photopharmacology is one such strategy. Photopharmacology provides us an external photo switch to control off-target site drug activity, and thus helps to attain selective biological activity and ameliorating off-target toxicity and resultant side effects.[3] Selectivity to target tissue/site is a problem with most of the drugs. Most of the sites of action of the drugs (receptors, enzymes, ion channels, and carrier molecules) are expressed in other sites/tissues/organs and the action in these sites leads to intolerable side effects, poor drug delivery, and then emergence of resistance.[4]

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