Aminolevulinic acid

Chemical formula: Câ‚…H₉NO₃  Molecular mass: 131.13 g/mol  PubChem compound: 137

Active ingredient description

5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is a natural biochemical precursor of heme that is metabolised in a series of enzymatic reactions to fluorescent porphyrins, particularly PPIX. 5-ALA synthesis is regulated by an intracellular pool of free heme via a negative feedback mechanism. Administration of excess exogenous 5-ALA avoids the negative feedback control, and accumulation of PPIX occurs in target tissue. In the presence of visible light, fluorescence of PPIX (photodynamic effect) in certain target tissues can be used for photodynamic diagnosis.

Medicine classification

This medicinal substance has been classified in the anatomical therapeutic chemical (ATC) classification according to its main therapeutic use as follows:

ATC code Group title Classification
L01XD04 Aminolevulinic acid L Antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents → L01 Antineoplastic agents → L01X Other antineoplastic agents → L01XD Sensitizers used in photodynamic/radiation therapy
Discover more medicines within L01XD04

Product monographs

Competent medicine agencies globally have authorized commercialization of this active ingredient according to these medication package inserts (MPIs):

Title Information Source Document Type  
GLIOLAN Powder for oral solution European Medicines Agency (EU) MPI, EU: SmPC
AMELUZ Gel FDA, National Drug Code (US) MPI, US: SPL/PLR

Structural formula

Graphic representation of the active ingredient's molecular structure

External identifiers

CAS Substance: 106-60-5
CAS Substance: 5451-09-2
DrugBank Drug: DB00855
PubChem Compound: 137
RxNorm Ingredient: 683
SNOMED-CT Concept: 259496005
5-aminolevulinic acid (substance)
UNII Identifier: 88755TAZ87
AMINOLEVULINIC ACID

Medicines

Aminolevulinic acid is an active ingredient of these brands:

United States (US)

  • AMELUZ as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE
  • GLEOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Austria (AT)

  • ALACARE as 5-Aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride
  • AMELUZ as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE
  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Canada (CA)

Croatia (HR)

  • AMELUZ as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Cyprus (CY)

  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Estonia (EE)

  • AMELUZ as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE
  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Finland (FI)

  • ALACARE as 5-Aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride
  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

France (FR)

  • EFFALA as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE
  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Hong Kong (HK)

  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Ireland (IE)

  • ALACARE as 5-Aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride
  • AMELUZ as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE
  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Italy (IT)

  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Japan (JP)

  • ALABEL as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE
  • ALAGLIO as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Lithuania (LT)

  • AMELUZ as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE
  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Netherlands (NL)

  • ALACARE as 5-Aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride
  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

New Zealand (NZ)

  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Poland (PL)

  • ALACARE as 5-Aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride
  • AMELUZ as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE
  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Romania (RO)

  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Singapore (SG)

  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Spain (ES)

  • AMELUZ as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE
  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

United Kingdom (UK)

  • ALACARE as 5-Aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride
  • AMELUZ as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE
  • GLIOLAN as AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HYDROCHLORIDE

Note the following: The list of brand names is continuously updated, and thus does not include the total of products circulating worldwide.

© All content on this website, including data entry, data processing, decision support tools, "RxReasoner" logo and graphics, is the intellectual property of RxReasoner and is protected by copyright laws. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of any part of this content without explicit written permission from RxReasoner is strictly prohibited. Any third-party content used on this site is acknowledged and utilized under fair use principles.