Stereochemical analysis of porphyrins to control free radicals for the treatment of periodontal disease

The general aim of this paper was to study porphyrin molecules and derivatives for dental inflammation caused by oral bacteria, primarily the periodontal pathogens. Photodynamic Therapy, or PDT, is a method of the gingivitis treatment which uses a photosynthesizer, oxygen, and a light of a determined frequency. Normally, reactive oxygen species are damaging to cells around gingiva and therefore should be eliminated, but their destructive properties of PDT also allow them to eliminate cells harmful to the body, such as cells affected by periodontal pathogens. In photodynamic therapy, the high reactive oxygen species interact with biomolecules and produce oxidative radicals, which is cytotoxic in action. The free radicals then destroy the tumor cell through inducing apoptosis or necrosis.
In this study, various molecules that can help remove reactive oxygen species from gingiva cells and the different isomers of porphyrins were analyzed and compared to reveal which compound would work best.

Optimized shapes of the hemiporphycene