Chlorins with phenol units were dissolved in water via complexation with the solubilizing agents trimethyl-β-cyclodextrin and λ-carrageenan using a high-speed vibration milling technique. The photodynamic activities of the trimethyl-β-cyclodextrin (TMeβCD) and λ-carrageenan complexes were similar to that of Photofrin. However, the λ-carrageenan chlorin complexes were more stable in aqueous solutions than the TMeβCD-chlorin complexes. Thus, λ-carrageenan-complexed chlorin would be more suitable as a photosensitizer.
Keywords: ball milling; chlorins; cyclodextrins; photodynamic therapy; polysaccharides.