Chemicals and Drugs

Porphyrins

A group of compounds containing the porphin structure, four pyrrole rings connected by methine bridges in a cyclic configuration to which a variety of side chains are attached. The nature of the side chain is indicated by a prefix, as uroporphyrin, hematoporphyrin, etc. The porphyrins, in combination with iron, form the heme component in biologically significant compounds such as hemoglobin and myoglobin.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A group of compounds containing the porphin structure, four pyrrole rings connected by methine bridges in a cyclic configuration to which a variety of side chains are attached. The nature of the side chain is indicated by a prefix, as uroporphyrin, hematoporphyrin, etc. The porphyrins, in combination with iron, form the heme component in biologically significant compounds such as hemoglobin and myoglobin.

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Synonyms

1 entry terms
  • Porphyrin

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Aspects Covered

28 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings administration & dosage, adverse effects, agonists, analysis, antagonists & inhibitors, biosynthesis, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemical synthesis, chemistry, classification, deficiency, economics, genetics, history, immunology, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, physiology, poisoning, radiation effects, standards, supply & distribution, therapeutic use, toxicity, urine.

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Indexing Annotation

pigments; iron porphyrins = HEME or HEMIN, magnesium porphyrins = CHLOROPHYLL

MeSH Hierarchy

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NLM Classification

QU 110

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Porphyrins. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D011166. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D011166
  2. Porphyrins. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porphyrin
  3. Porphyrins. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q422926