Pre-clinical evaluation of new antiproliferative agents for the photochemotherapy of psoriasis: angelicin derivatives.

To have, before the clinical evaluation, sufficiently predictive information about the antiproliferative and phototoxic effect of new potential agents for the photochemotherapy of psoriasis some simple tests have been worked out. The antiproliferative activity was evaluated studying the inhibition of DNA synthesis first in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells, and then in mouse skin in vivo, both by topical application and oral administration. The phototoxicity was studied by topical application on guinea-pig skin, and for the most interesting compounds also in man. A group of angelicin derivatives, which can photoreact with DNA forming only monofunctional adducts, was submitted to this evaluation; a number of such compounds proved to be very active, practically as active as psoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP), two bifunctional furocoumarins capable of inducing both monofunctional adducts and inter-strand cross-links in DNA. Methylangelicins having a marked lipophilic character were only a little more active in inhibiting the epidermal DNA synthesis of mouse when given orally in comparison with topical application, while angelicin derivatives carrying a polar group at the 4' position in the furanic ring were not very active by topical application, but much more effective after systemic administration. These results can be explained supposing a different ability of compounds to penetrate into mouse skin by topical application and the presence of some pharmacokinetic and metabolic factors. Contrary to bifunctional furocoumarins, the angelicin derivatives studied proved to be non-phototoxic on the skin of guinea-pig and also on that of man.