Abstract: A method for reducing or preventing the effects of inflammation arising from injured tissue, which method comprises the steps of: a. bringing the injured tissue, or pre-injured tissue, into contact with a photosensitizing agent capable of penetrating into the tissue, resulting in the desired degree of biodistribution in less than one hour; and b. exposing the tissue thus contacted to light having a wavelength absorbed by the photosensitizing agent for a time sufficient to reduce or prevent inflammation in the exposed tissue, but not so long as to cause necrosis or erythema of the exposed tissue, or a pharmaceutical composition or an article for reducing or preventing the effects of inflammation arising from injured tissue. The composition comprises: a. from about 1 &mgr;/mL to about 2 mg/mL of a photosensitizing agent capable of penetrating into the injured tissue, or pre-injured tissue, resulting in the desired degree of biodistribution less than one hour; and b. a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.