Photosensitized effects of furocoumarins: the possible role of singlet oxygen.

The capacity of various furocoumarins to generate singlet oxygen in aqueous solution has been determined. The antiproliferative and the skin-photosensitizing activities of the same furocoumarins did not show any correlation with the capacity to generate the singlet oxygen, while these photobiological properties could be correlated with the capacity of furocoumarins to induce photolesions to the DNA.