Preparation and in vitro biological evaluation of tetrapyrrole ethanolamide derivatives as potential anticancer agents

Tetrapyrrole ethanolamide derivatives, 1 and 2, were prepared from hematoporphyrin IX (HPIX, 3) and methyl pheophorbide a (mPheo, 6). These were evaluated for their dual action as chemotherapeutics and photosensitizers in treatment of cancer. The novel compounds showed significant in vitro anticancer activity as measured in different cell lines using the MTT assay and photodynamic activity measured by erythrocytes’ photohemolysis.