Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy – A Promising Approach to Control Pathogens and Infectious Skin Diseases

Skin is the first line of the defense mechanism of the immune system which resists many outer invasions. Antimicrobial photodynamic treatment (APDT) is a challenging approach to dealing with infectious skin diseases and other pathogenic organisms. APDT uses photodynamic therapy (PDT) to treat different skin diseases including cancerous and noncancerous cells. APDT shows activity against various infectious diseases caused by broad spectra of microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and algae. APDT is a successive method to treat multi- drug resistant antibiotics against different bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, etc. Decades ago, applications of PDT were initiated by the use of sun rays as a Photosensitizing agent. APDT works combined with photosensitizers (PS), light, and oxygen to inhibit or kill the growth of pathogens or target cells. Different Natural and chemical PS is used to treat cancer cells, noncancerous cells, skin diseases, and acne vulgaris. PDT kills cells by showing the different mechanisms in host tissues directing the inflammatory response. In contrast to traditional therapeutic medications, APDT confers maximum clearness against infectious cells since PS is used directly to invade codocytes. The article presents a brief review of the mechanism of APDT, APDT uses for skin infections along with PS and different natural and synthetic PS.