Anthracene with near ultraviolet light inhibiting epidermal proliferation

Anthracene plus near ultraviolet (UV) light (UV-A, 320 to 400 nm) suppresses DNA synthesis and mitosis in mouse epidermis. Ultraviolet-A light or anthracene alone does not have any effect. There is no photoactivation of anthracene to enhance depression of DNA synthesis by either UV-B (290 to 320 nm) or UV-C (254 nm) light. While methoxsalen with UV-A light inhibits DNA synthesis, the phototoxic drugs chlorpromazine hydrochloride and demethylchlortetracycline do not. The combination of anthracene plus UV-A light may have therapeutic effectiveness for psoriasis with less potential for photocarcinogenesis than psoralens plus UV-A light.