Water-soluble hypocrellin A nanoparticles as a photodynamic therapy delivery system

A novel delivery system for the hydrophobic photosensitizer, hypocrellin A, has been developed that uses hypocrellin A nanoparticles prepared by a reprecipitation method. In comparison to the unmodified photosensitizer, the hypocrellin A nanoparticles not only possess superior water solubility, higher water and light stability but also display high singlet oxygen production and DNA photocleavage capability.