Pharmaceutical preparations, including pharmaceutical preparations employing 5-aminolevulinic acid for use in therapy or diagnosis of malignant and non-malignant dermatologic, urologic and gynecological tissues, of lesions of the skin, of conjuctiva, of respiratory mucosa, of digestive tract including esophageal, gastric, duodenal, jejunal, ileal, colonic, and rectal mucosa, of vaginal and cervical mucosa, of endometrium, and of other rapidly growing cells