In this simple high-performance thin-layer chromatographic technique for evaluating porphyrin excretion, porphyrins rapidly extracted from urine or feces are separated on reversed-phase octadecylsilyl (C18)-bonded silica thin-layer chromatography plates. We observed > 12 distinct bands of different porphyrins by viewing the plates under long-wave ultraviolet light. Positive screening tests can ...

Pseudoporphyria is a condition identical to porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) on clinical and histological grounds, but without any biochemical porphyrin abnormality. Excessive sunlight and UVA exposure (for example tanning beds), drugs such as: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, retinoids, antibiotics, diuretics and others are supposed to be etiological factors of pseudoporphyria. Cases of PCT...