Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy Mechanisms and Applications
Summary
Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) harnesses the interaction of a light-activated photosensitiser, molecular oxygen and light to produce reactive oxygen species that selectively inactivate bacteria, fungi and viruses. Two principal photochemical pathways contribute to microbial killing: Type I reactions generate free radicals and radical ions, while Type II reactions yield singlet oxygen, a powerful oxidant that damages lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. This multi-targeted oxidative assault minimises the likelihood of resistance development. Advances in delivery platforms—ranging from metal–organic frameworks and nanoparticle carriers to biocompatible hydrogels—have improved tissue penetration, controlled release and targeting of biofilms. In parallel, optimisation of illumination strategies, including near-infrared and extracorporeal light sources, has extended the reach of aPDT to wound surfaces, mucosal infections and deep-seated lung pathogens. Combination protocols pairing aPDT with conventional antibiotics demonstrate synergistic enhancement of antimicrobial efficacy and restoration of antibiotic susceptibility in resistant strains. The global rise of multidrug-resistant organisms renders aPDT a vital complement to existing antimicrobials, with broad applications in wound care, surface decontamination, dentistry and implant-associated infections.
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Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy Mechanisms and Applications publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy mechanisms and applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Photosensitiser: A molecule that, upon light absorption, transfers energy to oxygen or substrates to form reactive species.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules derived from oxygen that damage cellular components.
Singlet oxygen: An excited, high-energy form of molecular oxygen responsible for much of the oxidative damage in aPDT.
Photodynamic inactivation: The process by which microbial cells are killed through photosensitiser activation and ROS generation.
Biofilm: A structured microbial community encased in an extracellular matrix that confers protection against antimicrobials.
References
- Recovering the susceptibility of antibiotic-resistant bacteria using photooxidative damage. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2023).
- Synergistic Photodynamic/Antibiotic Therapy with Photosensitive MOF-Based Nanoparticles to Eradicate Bacterial Biofilms. Pharmaceutics (2023).
- Lethal photosensitization of wound-associated microbes using indocyanine green and near-infrared light. BMC Microbiology (2008).
- Pneumonia treatment by photodynamic therapy with extracorporeal illumination ‐ an experimental model. Physiological Reports (2017).
- Combined Antimicrobial Activity of Photodynamic Inactivation and Antimicrobials–State of the Art. Frontiers in Microbiology (2018).
- Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)-Mediated Antibacterial Oxidative Therapies: Available Methods to Generate ROS and a Novel Option Proposal. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
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