Editing Porphyrin (section)

==Potential applications==
===Photodynamic therapy===
Porphyrins have been evaluated in the context of [[photodynamic therapy]] (PDT) since they strongly absorb light, which is then converted to heat in the illuminated areas.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Porphyrin conjugates for cancer therapy| vauthors = Giuntini F, Boyle R, Sibrian-Vazquez M, Vicente MG | veditors = Kadish KM, Smith KM, Guilard R |encyclopedia=Handbook of Porphyrin Science|year=2014|volume=27|pages=303–416}}</ref> This technique has been applied in [[macular degeneration]] using [[verteporfin]].<ref name="pmid17636693">{{cite journal | vauthors = Wormald R, Evans J, Smeeth L, Henshaw K | title = Photodynamic therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | issue = 3 | pages = CD002030 | date = July 2007 | pmid = 17636693 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD002030.pub3 | url = https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/6367/1/Wormald_et_al-2007-The_Cochrane_library.pdf }}</ref>

PDT is considered a noninvasive cancer treatment, involving the interaction between light of a determined frequency, a photo-sensitizer, and oxygen. This interaction produces the formation of a highly reactive oxygen species (ROS), usually singlet oxygen, as well as superoxide anion, free hydroxyl radical, or hydrogen peroxide.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Price M, Terlecky SR, Kessel D | title = A role for hydrogen peroxide in the pro-apoptotic effects of photodynamic therapy | journal = Photochemistry and Photobiology | volume = 85 | issue = 6 | pages = 1491–1496 | year = 2009 | pmid = 19659920 | pmc = 2783742 | doi = 10.1111/j.1751-1097.2009.00589.x }}</ref> These high reactive oxygen species react with susceptible cellular organic biomolecules such as; lipids, aromatic amino acids, and nucleic acid heterocyclic bases, to produce oxidative radicals that damage the cell, possibly inducing apoptosis or even necrosis.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Singh S, Aggarwal A, Bhupathiraju NV, Arianna G, Tiwari K, Drain CM | title = Glycosylated Porphyrins, Phthalocyanines, and Other Porphyrinoids for Diagnostics and Therapeutics | journal = Chemical Reviews | volume = 115 | issue = 18 | pages = 10261–10306 | date = September 2015 | pmid = 26317756 | pmc = 6011754 | doi = 10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00244 }}</ref>

===Molecular electronics and sensors===
Porphyrin-based compounds are of interest as possible components of [[molecular electronics]] and photonics.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lewtak JP, Gryko DT | title = Synthesis of π-extended porphyrins via intramolecular oxidative coupling | journal = Chemical Communications | volume = 48 | issue = 81 | pages = 10069–10086 | date = October 2012 | pmid = 22649792 | doi = 10.1039/c2cc31279d }}</ref> Synthetic porphyrin dyes have been incorporated in prototype [[dye-sensitized solar cells]].<ref>{{cite journal | journal = [[Journal of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines]] | year = 2010 | volume = 14 | pages = 759–792 | doi= 10.1142/S1088424610002689 | title = Porphyrins and phthalocyanines in solar photovoltaic cells | vauthors = Walter MG, Rudine AB, Wamser CC | issue = 9}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Yella A, Lee HW, Tsao HN, Yi C, Chandiran AK, Nazeeruddin MK, Diau EW, Yeh CY, Zakeeruddin SM, Grätzel M | display-authors = 6 | title = Porphyrin-sensitized solar cells with cobalt (II/III)-based redox electrolyte exceed 12 percent efficiency | journal = Science | volume = 334 | issue = 6056 | pages = 629–634 | date = November 2011 | pmid = 22053043 | doi = 10.1126/science.1209688 | bibcode = 2011Sci...334..629Y | s2cid = 28058582 }}</ref>

=== Biological applications ===
Porphyrins have been investigated as possible anti-inflammatory agents<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Alonso-Castro AJ, Zapata-Morales JR, Hernández-Munive A, Campos-Xolalpa N, Pérez-Gutiérrez S, Pérez-González C | title = Synthesis, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of porphyrins | journal = Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry | volume = 23 | issue = 10 | pages = 2529–2537 | date = May 2015 | pmid = 25863493 | doi = 10.1016/j.bmc.2015.03.043 }}</ref> and evaluated on their anti-cancer and anti-oxidant activity.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Bajju GD, Ahmed A, Devi G | title = Synthesis and bioactivity of oxovanadium(IV)tetra(4-methoxyphenyl)porphyrinsalicylates | journal = BMC Chemistry | volume = 13 | issue = 1 | pages = 15 | date = December 2019 | pmid = 31384764 | pmc = 6661832 | doi = 10.1186/s13065-019-0523-9 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Several porphyrin-peptide conjugates were found to have antiviral activity against HIV ''in vitro''.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Mendonça DA, Bakker M, Cruz-Oliveira C, Neves V, Jiménez MA, Defaus S, Cavaco M, Veiga AS, Cadima-Couto I, Castanho MA, Andreu D, Todorovski T | display-authors = 6 | title = Penetrating the Blood-Brain Barrier with New Peptide-Porphyrin Conjugates Having anti-HIV Activity | journal = Bioconjugate Chemistry | volume = 32 | issue = 6 | pages = 1067–1077 | date = June 2021 | pmid = 34033716 | pmc = 8485325 | doi = 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00123 }}</ref>

=== Toxicology ===
Heme biosynthesis is used as [[biomarker]] in environmental toxicology studies. While excess production of porphyrins indicate [[organochlorine]] exposure, [[lead]] inhibits [[ALA dehydratase]] enzyme.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Principles of Ecotoxicology| vauthors = Walker CH, Silby RM, Hopkin SP, Peakall DB |publisher=CRC Press|year=2012|isbn=978-1-4665-0260-4|location=Boca Raton, FL|pages=182}}</ref>