Biomedical applications of chitosan

This chapter focuses and reviews on the characteristics and biomedical application of chitosan and collagen from marine products and advantages and disadvantages of regeneration medicine. The understanding of the production processes of chitosan and collagen and the conformation of these biomaterials are indispensable for promoting the theoretical and practical availability. The initial inflammatory reactions associated with chitosan application to... 

Debasish Sahoo is a senior lecturer in the Institute of Nanobiotechnology, Cuttack, India. He has an MSc in Biotechnology and has carried out extensive research work on biomedical applications of chitosan. He recently submitted his PhD thesis to the faculty of Biotechnology, Utkal University. 

However, for most applications, practical use of chitosan has been limited by its physicochemical properties, in particular its low solubility above pH 6.5 and the pH-dependence of the ionic interactions in the formulations. Hence, chitosan derivatives have been recently developed to widen and improve the potential biomedical applications of chitosan. 

Figure 15.1 [a) Various applications of native chitosan. (b) Biomedical applications of chitosan. 

Chitosan/day nanocomposites represent an innovative and promising class of materials. Potential biomedical applications of chitosan/clay nanocomposites include the intercalation of cationic chitosan in the expandable aluminosilicate structure of the clay is expected to affect the binding of cationic drugs by anionic clay the solubility of chitosan at the low pH of gastric fluid may decrease the premature release of drugs in the gastric environment ... 

Recent research explored various chemically modified conjugates and derivatives to improve its physico-chemical and biological properties. This modification allows significant applications of chitosan in various disciplines of biomedical research. So far various fabrication methods have been employed for the development of chemically modified chitosan e.g. chitosan-poly(acrylic acid) nanoparticles and acylated chitosan nanoparticles have been recently explored to examine their modifications effect on physicochemical properties and blood compatibility [151, 152], Similarly self-aggregated NPs of cholesterol-modified 0-carboxymethyl chitosan conjugates were fabricated to improve the pharmaceutical and biomedical applications of chitosan [153], Various examples of chitosan and its chemically modified synthetic derivatives are mentioned in Table 3.2. 

Major applications of chitosan were previously focused on sludge dewatering, food processing, and metal ion chelation until the mid-1980s. Further, it has received considerable attention for its commercial applications in agriculture, chemistry, biomedical, food, cosmetic, and biotechnology industries (Alasalvar et ah, 2002 Knorr, 1984 Kurita,... 

Biopolymers Biomedical and Environmental Applications 6.10 Bio-medical Applications of Chitosan 6.10.1 Gene Therapy... 

Most of the early biomedical and pharmaceutical application of chitosan-based systems dealt with topical applications and a few controlled drug... 

Sandford, P. A. and Steinnes, A., Biomedical applications of high-purity chitosan, in Water Soluble Polymers, Vol. 467, Shalaby, S. W., Ed., ACS S5nnposium Series, Vol. 467,1991, chap. 28. 

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. 

Solubility plays a critical role in the biomedical application of a biomaterial. Chitosan is a semicrystalline biopolymer,... 

Sandford, D. A. and Stinnes, A. 1991. Biomedical applications of high purity chitosan-physical, chemical and bioactive properties. AC5 Symp. Sen 467 430 35. 

As already reflected by the number of review papers, the interest in biomedical applications of polyphosphazenes continues to grow. The biodegradable polymer NP(NHC6H4C02H-4)i.8(NHC6H4C02H-4)o.2 n has been prepared and fully characterized. The carboxylato groups can react with Ca -ions to form crosslinks and to convert the water-soluble polymer to a hydrogel. Controlled drug release experiments have been carried out for chitosan en-... 

Mwale, R, Wertheimer, MR., Antoniou, J. 2009. Novel nitrogen rich polymers and chitosan for tissue engineering of intervertehral discs. Biomedical Applications of Smart Materials, Nanotechnology and Micro/ Nano Engineering 57 117-124. 

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. 

Applications of Chitosan-Based Functionalized Nanomaterials Biomedical and Industrial... 

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... 

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