Photochemotherapy (PUVA) of psoriasis using 3-carbethoxypsoralen, a non-carcinogenic compound in mice

• Published in: British journal of dermatology (1951) Vol. 101; no. 4; p. 379
• Main Authors: Dubertret, L, Averbeck, D, Zajdela, F, Bisagni, E, Moustacchi, E, Touraine, R, Latarjet, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-10-1979
• Subjects: Animals; DNA, Fungal; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Female; Furocoumarins - adverse effects; Furocoumarins - therapeutic use; Furocoumarins - toxicity; Humans; Male; Methoxsalen - therapeutic use; Mice; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitivity Disorders - chemically induced; Psoriasis - drug therapy; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - drug effects; Skin Neoplasms - chemically induced
• ISSN: 0007-0963
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb00015.x

The carcinogenic risk of photochemotherapy (PUVA) with bi-functional furocoumarins such as 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) which form cross-links in cellular DNA has initiated a search for active but less hazardous psoralens. A new compound, 3-carbethoxypsoralen (3-CPs), studied in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (eukaryote), has been shown to be very photoactive on DNA and to form only mono-additions to DNA. These lesions appear to be more easily repaired than the cross-links induced by 8-MOP. 3-CPs produces less nuclear genetic events such as nuclear mutations and mitotic crossovers, but more cytoplasmic 'petite' mutations (damage to mitochondrial DNA) than 8-MOP. In mice it was demonstrated that after local or intra-peritoneal administration, in contrast to 8-MOP, 3-CPs is non-toxic, non-erythematogenic, and non-carcinogenic. A study of ten psoriatic patients had shown that local applications of 3-CPs plus UV-A exhibit about the same therapeutic activity for the clearing of psoriatic lesions as local treatment with 8-MOP plus UV-A, but without any localized hyperpigmentation.