Aminolevulinic acid
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:
Product monographs
Competent medicine agencies globally have authorized commercialization of this active ingredient according to these medication package inserts (MPIs):
Medicines
Aminolevulinic acid is the active ingredient of these drugs:
Structural formula
Chemical formula: C₅H₉NO₃
Molecular mass: 131.13 g/mol