Enhanced photodynamic therapy through supramolecular photosensitizers with an adamantyl-functionalized porphyrin and a cyclodextrin dimer.

A supramolecular photosensitizer was constructed using a tetra-adamantane-functionalized porphyrin and a dimer of permethyl-β-cyclodextrin through host-guest interaction and self-assembly. The porphyrin/cyclodextrin alternating structure of supramolecular photosensitizers not only enhances the water solubility of the photosensitizers, but also effectively inhibits the aggregation-induced quenching of porphyrin photosensitizers.