Biomedical applications of chitin

Jayakumar, R. Menon, D. Manzoor, K. Nair, S.V. Tamura, H. Biomedical applications of chitin and chitosan based nanomaterials—A short review. Carbohydr. Polym. 2010, 82 (2), 227-232. 

Finally, a discussion of the likely events to take place in the biomedical applications of chitin and chitosan is germane to this chapter. There is no end to the imagination of researchers in originating new biomaterials. Many reports detail the combination of chitosan with other synthetic polymers, different forms and other new iterations that contain the biopolymer. The only requirement that should be followed is to utilize standard materials when they become available and affordable. Traditionally, several areas have been championed and warrant a status review. 

Jayakumar R, Deepthy M, Manzoor K et al (2010) Biomedical applications of chitin and chitosan based nanomaterials - a short review. Carbohydr Polym. doi 10.1016/j.carbpol. 2010.04.074... 

K. Azuma, S. Ifuku, T. Osaki, Y. Okamoto, and S. Minami, Preparation and biomedical applications of chitin and chitosan nanofibers, /. Biomed. Nanotechnol, 10, 2891-2920, 2014. 

INDUSTRIAL AND BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS OF CHITIN, CHITOSAN AND CHITOOLICOSACCHARIDES... 

Radhika M, Mary B, Sehgal PK (1999) Cellular proliferation on desamidated collagen matrices. Comp Biochem Physiol C Pharmacol Toxicol Endocrinol 124 131-139 Archana D, Dutta J, Dutta PK (2010) Synthesis, characterization and bioactivity with improved antibacterial effect of chitosan-pectin-titanium dioxide ternary film for biomedical applications. Asian Chitin J 6 26... 

Chitin is also used as excipient and drug carrier under film, gel or powder forms for applications involving mucoadhesivity [84], A recent review describes the use of chitin and chitosan as biomaterials in different biomedical applications [85], Different applications of chitin and that of few chitin derivatives are described in a recent book devoted to chitosan [86]. 

Nwe, N. and W. F. Stevens. 2008. Production of chitin and chitosan and their applications in the medical and biological sector. In Recent Research in Biomedical Aspects of Chitin and Chitosan, ed. H. Tamura, pp. 161-176. Research Signpost, Trivandrum, Kerala, India. 

The industrial and pharmacological applications of chitin and chitosan have been known for many years and have become an important industrial pursuit because these materials have the three advantages of being abundant, nontoxic, and biodegradable. Chitin and chitosan are produced on an industrial scale from the shells of crustaceans. Chitosans are strong chelators of arsenic and heavy cations, and are used for this purpose in wastewater treatment and in the paper industry (Da Sacco and Masotti, 2010). They have many other applications, however, particularly in the biomedical field, either unaltered or after chemical transformation (depolymerization, alkylation. 

Biopolymers Biomedical and Environmental Applications Table 6.6 Multifaceted derivatization potential of chitin and chitosan [1]. 

Hyaluronic acid is a linear polysaccharide formed from disaccharide units containing N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and glucuronic acid. Since it is present in almost all biological fluids and tissues, hyaluronic acid-based materials are very useful in biomedical applications. After cellulose, chitin is the second most abundant natural polysaccharide resource on earth. Chitin and its de-acetylated derivative chitosan are natural polymers composed of N-acetylglucosamine and glucosamine. Both chitin and chitosan have excellent properties such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, non-toxicity, hemostatic activity and antimicrobial activity. Chitin and its derivatives are widely used in various fields of medicine. 

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