Identification of Systemic Phototoxic Drugs by Human Intradermal Assay

An improved method is presented for the detection of systemically administered photosensitizing drugs in humans. Test agents were injected intradermally in physiologic saline and then exposed to broad spectrum radiation from a Xenon solar simulator. Several clinically recognized photosensitizers were identified by this technique. The activating spectrum depended on the test drug. Sulfonamides and vinblastin were activated by sunburning erythemic radiation (UV-B), while tetracyclines, nalidixic acid and phenothiazines by near UV (UV-A), and chlorothiazide by both. It is suggested that intradermal phototesting offers a means of verifying the phototoxic potential of agents suspected clinically of provoking a photosensitivity eruption.