光动力疗法是一种替代治疗方法，主要用于治疗癌症和细菌感染。该治疗的起源可以追溯到1900年，当时德国医学院毕业生奥斯卡·拉布在与赫尔曼·冯·塔佩内尔教授的博士论文研究中发现了光动力效应。出乎意料的是，拉布揭示了吖啶在草履虫上的毒性取决于实验室内光线的强度。因此，光动力疗法基于给予光敏剂，在该物质的吸收峰内随后进行光照并形成反应性氧化物种，最终导致细胞死亡。虽然这种治疗方法并非新颖，但人们仍在努力对其进行各种改进。例如，光敏剂的选择性和效率，以及使用不同类型的光源进行照射等方面仍在不断改善光动力疗法的最终结果。本综述的主要目的是总结抗癌和抗菌的改进措施，包括各种化合物、方法和技术，以提高光动力疗法的有效性。© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Medicinal Research Reviews发表的文章。

Photodynamic therapy is an alternative treatment mainly for cancer but also for bacterial infections. This treatment dates back to 1900 when a German medical school graduate Oscar Raab found a photodynamic effect while doing research for his doctoral dissertation with Professor Hermann von Tappeiner. Unexpectedly, Raab revealed that the toxicity of acridine on paramecium depends on the intensity of light in his laboratory. Photodynamic therapy is therefore based on the administration of a photosensitizer with subsequent light irradiation within the absorption maxima of this substance followed by reactive oxygen species formation and finally cell death. Although this treatment is not a novelty, there is an endeavor for various modifications to the therapy. For example, selectivity and efficiency of the photosensitizer, as well as irradiation with various types of light sources are still being modified to improve final results of the photodynamic therapy. The main aim of this review is to summarize anticancer and antibacterial modifications, namely various compounds, approaches, and techniques, to enhance the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy.© 2023 The Authors. Medicinal Research Reviews published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.