Current Medical Study and Use

At the present time hyaluronan is an object of study in biochemistry, molecular biophysics, bioorganic and radiochemistry and the chemistry of polymer compounds. Medical studies of HA include its role in fertilization, embryogenesis, development of the immune response, the healing of wounds, oncological and infectious diseases, processes of ageing and the problems of aesthetic medicine. 

The wide range of practical medical applications of hyaluronan continues to be based upon its anti-inflammatory, disinfectant and wound healing effects. HA promotes epithelial regeneration prevents the formation of granulation tissue, adhesions and scars reduces swelling and itching normalizes blood circulation promotes scarring of venous ulcers and protects internal eye tissue [24]. 

Hyaluronan is widely used in applied biochemistry and enzymology as a substrate for the quantitative determination of the enzyme hyaluronidase. Scientific disputes about the possible relationship between HA and hyaluronate lyase and the pathogenicity of some streptococci are to be, as it seems, permanently carried out. Currently, much attention is paid to the study of the secondary and tertiary structures and dynamic conformation of HA in aqueous solutions and biological fluids the HA interaction with proteins, particularly receptor CD44 and other hyaladherins and the HA biocatalytic cleavage with different hyaluronidase the progression toward creating of recombinant strains and chimera products with the desired properties. 

The theoretical research on polysaccharide biosynthesis with both bacterial and mammalian enzymes initially focused on gaining an understanding of the reaction mechanisms, but recently attention has been shifted toward solving the application problems, including the creation of recombinant strains and chimera organisms that could produce HA with the initially required properties. 

Using the technology of solid-state modification of polysaccharides that included the mutual action of super-high pressure and shear deformation, a group of Russian scientists have produced a number of unique products that contain hyaluronic acid. The new products could be considered drug-free (or non-drug) macromolecular therapeutics. These areas of research have made possible a broad range of new products based on the modified hyaluronan and could be used in the various fields of medicine. 

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