Photodynamic therapy of murine fibrosarcoma with topical and systemic administration of hypericin

The in vivo antitumour activity of the natural photosensitizer hypericin was evaluated. C3H/DiSn mice inoculated with fibrosarcoma G5:1:13 cells were intraperitoneally or intratumourally injected with hypericin (5 mg/kg) and 2 hours later the mice were locally irradiated with laser light (488 nm, 150 mW/cm2, 180 J/cm2) when the tumour reached volume of 40-80 mm3 (approximately 17 days after inoculation). Tumours treated with hypericin alone as well as those irradiated with laser light alone have similar growth rates and none of these tumours regressed spontaneously. The mean tumour volume in hypericin-PDT treated groups was significantly lower in comparison to that found in the control group 3-5 weeks after the therapy. A higher proportion of animals with tumour volume less than 5-fold of the initial volume has been observed in both hypericin-PDT treated groups. Complete response to PDT has been observed for 44.4% of the animals with intraperitoneally administered hypericin and for 33.3% of the animals with intratumourally administered hypericin. Complete remission occurred in treated lesions with 3 mm or less in height. Hypericin-PDT significantly increased survival. However, no statistically significant difference in survival rate of animals has been found between the intratumoural and the intraperitoneal schedule of administration of hypericin.