User:Mr. Ibrahem/Aminolevulinic acid

δ-Aminolevulinic acid (dALA, δ-ALA), also known as 5-aminolevulinic acid (5ALA), is a medication used to help visualize cancer tissue during surgery for glioma. It is also used to treat actinic keratoses and basal cell cancer. It is taken by mouth or applied to the skin.

Common side effects when taken by mouth include nausea, fever, low blood pressure, liver problems, and diarrhea. Common side effects when applied to the skin include redness, irritation, itchiness, and skin peeling. Safety in pregnancy is unclear. When applied to the skin, it works by making the area sensitive to light, such that when exposed it results in cell death.

δ-Aminolevulinic acid was approved for medical use in the United States in 1999 and Europe in 2011. In the United States 2 grams of gel costs about 340 USD as of 2022.