Structure via PubChem · Public domain (PubChem)
pheophorbide
Sign in to saveAlso known as phaeophorbide
Pheophorbide or phaeophorbide is a product of chlorophyll breakdown and a derivative of pheophytin where both the central magnesium has been removed and the phytol tail has been hydrolyzed. It is used as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy.
Chemical data
- Formula
- C35H36N4O5
- Molecular weight
- 592.7 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- 3-[(3R,21S,22S)-16-ethenyl-11-ethyl-3-methoxycarbonyl-12,17,21,26-tetramethyl-4-oxo-7,23,24,25-tetrazahexacyclo[18.2.1.15,8.110,13.115,18.02,6]hexacosa-1(23),2(6),5(26),7,9,11,13,15,17,19-decaen-22-yl]propanoic acid
- SMILES
- CCC1=C(C2=CC3=C(C(=C(N3)C=C4[C@H]([C@@H](C(=N4)C5=C6C(=C(C(=N6)C=C1N2)C)C(=O)[C@@H]5C(=O)OC)CCC(=O)O)C)C)C=C)C
- InChIKey
- OINDWIFDMFYGDX-LDCXZXNSSA-N
- XLogP
- 5.2
- Polar surface area
- 138 Ų
- H-bond donors
- 3
- H-bond acceptors
- 7
- Formal charge
- 0
via PubChem
Research
824 papers- Pheophorbide a: State of the Art.Marine drugs · 2020
- Nanoparticles improved pheophorbide-a mediated photodynamic therapy for cancer.Lasers in medical science · 2025
- The chlorophyll catabolite pheophorbide a as a photosensitizer for the photodynamic therapy.Current medicinal chemistry · 2012
- Pheophorbide a May Regulate Jasmonate Signaling during Dark-Induced Senescence.Plant physiology · 2020
- Evaluating pheophorbide-a as a photosensitizer in oral cancer photodynamic therapy: A systematic review.Dental and medical problems · 2026
via PubMed
Wikidata facts
- Mass
- 592.26857
Show 4 more facts
- chemical formula
- C₃₅H₃₆N₄O₅
- canonical SMILES
- CCC1=C2C=C3C(=C4C(=O)C(C(=C5C(C(C(=N5)C=C6C(=C(C(=CC(=C1C)N2)N6)C=C)C)C)CCC(=O)O)C4=N3)C(=O)OC)C
- isomeric SMILES
- CCC1=C2C=C3C(=C4C(=O)[C@@H](C(=C5[C@H]([C@@H](C(=N5)C=C6C(=C(C(=CC(=C1C)N2)N6)C=C)C)C)CCC(=O)O)C4=N3)C(=O)OC)C
- subject has role
- radiosensitizer
via Wikidata · CC0
~1 min read
Encyclopedic overview
1 sectionsContents
- References
Pheophorbide or phaeophorbide is a product of chlorophyll breakdown and a derivative of pheophytin where both the central magnesium has been removed and the phytol tail has been hydrolyzed. It is used as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy.
Pheophorbide may be generated by digestion of ingested plant matter. Both worm (Caenorhabditis elegans) and mouse mitochondria are able to use the molecule in a form of ad hoc photoheterotrophy.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “pheophorbide” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.