Spectroscopy studies of interaction hypericin with an anti-cancer therapy drug doxorubicin

The presented study was designed to estimate the ability of hypericin to interact with the anticancer drug doxorubicin. The hetero-association of hypericin and doxorubicin was investigated with absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy methods in aqueous solution of DMSO in two-component mixtures: doxorubicin-hypericin and three component mixtures: DNA-doxorubicin-hypericin. The data indicate that hypericin forms complexes with doxorubicin and that the association constants are on the order of 300,000 M−1 in a buffer with 30% DMSO content. The absorption spectra of the hypericin – doxorubicin complexes were examined as well. Owing to its ability to interact with flat aromatic compounds, hypericin may potentially be used as an interceptor molecule to detoxification of patients after chemotherapy.