PHOTOSENSITIZATION OF MELANINS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY |
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| Authors: | T Sarna † I A Menon Roger C Sealy |
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| Affiliation: | National Biomedical ESR Center, Department of Radiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA;Clinical Science Division, Medical Sciences Building, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada |
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| Abstract: | Abstract— Measurements of photosensitized free-radical production and oxygen consumption have been made in several melanin systems. The melanins studied were cysteinyldopa melanin (a model for pheomelanin), natural pheomelanins extracted from red hair and from red chicken feathers, and eumelanin extracted from bovine eyes. Rose Bengal was used as photosensitizer. A significant enhancement in the rates of free radical production and oxygen consumption was found in all systems when sensitizer was present. The largest effects were found with cysteinyldopa melanin and effects on pheomelanins were shown to be greater (by factors of4–6) than on eumelanins. |
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