The significance of complex polysaccharides in personal care formulations

Complex polysaccharides have numerous pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, immunomodulating, anticoagulant and anticancer effects. In personal care products, these biopolymers are used as thickener and stabilizing agents or as moisturizing ingredients that could be beneficial to the skin. Various polysaccharides, such as glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), hyaluronic acid (HA), carrageenan, fucose, fucoidan, chitin, chitosan, etc., have applications in cosmeceutical industries. GAGs and HA incorporated in moisturizing creams strengthen the skin barrier by forming a protective layer which prevents transdermal water loss. Therefore, these polysaccharides have been formulated into potential cosmeceuticals and biopharmaceuticals.     

Effect of drug-loading methods on drug load, encapsulation efficiency and release properties of alginate/poly-L-arginine/chitosan ternary complex microcapsules

The drug-loaded alginate/poly-L-arginine/chitosan ternary complex microcapsules were prepared by mixing method, absorption method and the combined method of mixing and absorption, respectively. The effect of drug-loading methods on drug load, the encapsulation efficiency and the release properties of the complex microcapsules were investigated. The results showed that the absorption process is a dominating factor to greatly increase the drug load of Hb into microcapsules. Upon loading Hb into microcapsules by combined method of mixing and absorption, the drug load (19.9%) is up to the maximum value, and the encapsulation efficiency is 93.8%. Moreover, the drug release is a zero-order kinetics process for the ternary complex microcapsules made by mixing. For the complex microcapsules made by absorption, the drug release is a first-order kinetics. However, for the complex microcapsules made by combining the mixing and the absorption, the drug release obeys a first-order kinetics during the first eighteen hours, changing afterwards to a zero-order kinetics process. Effect of drug-loading methods on drug load and encapsulation efficiency of alginate/poly-L-arginine/chitosan ternary complex microcapsules.     

Preparation and characterization of self-assembled nanoparticles based on glycol chitosan bearing adriamycin

An anthracycline drug, adriamycin, was chemically conjugated onto the backbone of glycol chitosan via an acid-labile cis-aconityl linkage. The physicochemical characteristics of the glycol chitosan–adriamycin (GC–ADR) conjugates were investigated by dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The GC–ADR conjugates were capable of forming nano-sized self-aggregates in an aqueous medium, when the adriamycin content in the conjugate was in the range of 2.0–5.0 wt.%. The self-aggregates were spherical in shape, and had mean diameters of 238–304 nm, depending on the adriamycin content. The critical aggregation concentrations of the conjugates, estimated by the fluorescence quenching method, were as low as 1.0–2.5×10⁻² mg/ml. The size of self-aggregates was not affected by the polymer concentration in the range from 50 to 2,000 μg/ml, and was maintained up to 8 days in phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4), indicating high colloidal stability. The release of adriamycin from self-aggregates was significantly dependent on the pH of the medium due to the cis-aconityl linkage; e.g., the amount of adriamycin released for 4 days was 7.3±0.3% at pH 7, whereas it was 29.3±1.9% at pH 4. The cell viability results demonstrated that free adriamycin shows more potent cytotoxicity than the conjugates, primarily attributed to the sustained release of adriamycin from self-aggregates. In conclusion, the self-aggregates, formed by GC–ADR conjugates, might be useful for the site-specific delivery of adriamycin in a sustained manner.     

Acetylation and molecular mass effects on barrier and mechanical properties of shortfin squid chitosan membranes

Chitosan samples with different N-deacetylation levels were obtained from β-chitin under heterogeneous alkali conditions. Oxidative depolymerisation was performed to attain low-acetylated chitosan samples with different molecular mass. Water vapour permeability, membrane swelling and tensile mechanical properties were analysed in plasticized self-supporting chitosan membranes. The main purpose was to describe unambigously the effect of the biopolymer molecular mass and acetylation degree on these properties. Commercially available chitosan samples derived from α-chitin were also studied for comparison. The equilibrium degree of swelling in water and the water vapour permeability increase by increasing the molecular mass or the degree of acetylation. Regarding the effect on the mechanical properties, generally harder and tougher membranes were obtained for chitosans with higher molecular mass or lower acetylation degree. These observations are tentatively explained based on the different structural characteristics of the polymer and can lead to a better understanding of the tools necessary to tailor a specific type of chitosan membrane.     

壳聚糖的基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱分析

利用基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱(MALDI-TOF-MS)分析甲壳素脱乙酰化降解产物——壳聚糖,对基质、制样方法等影响MALDI-TOF-MS测定结果的因素进行了研究。实验发现,以2,5-二羟基苯甲酸(DHB)为基质,二次结晶法制样分析壳聚糖,既获得了壳聚糖的分子量信息,又可以推断壳聚糖的脱乙酰度,对壳聚糖的制备及其质量与性能控制有着十分重要的指导意义。     

2-羟丙基三甲基氯化铵壳聚糖的制备及其性能研究

以脱乙酰度为95.37%的壳聚糖(CTS)为原料,异丙醇为溶剂,2,3-环氧丙基三甲基氯化铵为改性剂,于80℃反应12 h合成了水溶性季铵盐2-羟丙基三甲基氯化铵壳聚糖(HACC)。HACC的吸水保水性是CTS的2倍～3倍,加入化妆品中培养2周后菌落总数少于100 CFU.g-1。     

低分子量壳聚糖的Sm3+配合物的合成和表征

壳聚糖经双氧水降解制得低分子量壳聚糖,低分子量壳聚糖与Sm3 反应制得配合物。分别用红外、紫外、荧光等测试手段对低分子量壳聚糖及其与Sm3 形成的配合物的结构和性能进行了表征。结果表明,低分子量壳聚糖与Sm3 发生了螯合作用,形成了较稳定的配合物。     

Swelling kinetics and release characteristic of crosslinked chitosan: Polyether polymer network (semi-IPN) hydrogels

The aqueous swelling kinetics of a series of crosslinked chitosan (cr-CS) with glutaraldehyde (GA) interpenetrating polyether hydrogels have been studied as functions of pH, the N-deacetylation degree of chitosan, the amount of crosslinking agent, the electrolyte composition in solution, temperature, and gel composition. Based on these results, the swelling mechanism of the hydrogels was discussed. The release profiles of chlorhexidini acetas from the semi-IPN were also investigated. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

丁酸壳聚糖液晶的临界行为研究

用偏光显微镜法测定了丁酸壳聚糖在四种酸性溶剂中的临界浓度值．发现临界浓度值（ｖ／ｖ％）与溶剂的酸性无关，都是１６％～１７％．在以二氯乙酸为溶剂时，不同丁酰化程度的丁酸壳聚糖有相同的临界浓度．用ＤＳＣ法测定了丁酸壳聚糖／二氯乙酸体系的临界温度，并绘制了相图．结果表明，浓度达６０％（ｗ／ｗ％）后，临界温度基本不再变化，稳定在３９℃左右．     

阳离子淀粉-壳聚糖-丙烯酰胺的接枝共聚研究

以硝酸铈铵为引发剂,合成阳离子淀粉(CS)-壳聚糖(CTS)-丙烯酰胺(AM)接枝共聚物,讨论了反应温度、引发剂浓度、单体用量、反应时间以及壳聚糖用量对接枝共聚反应的影响。结果表明:淀粉中葡萄糖环浓度(cAGU)为0.20 mol/L,mCTS/mCS=1/6,cAM=1.0mol/L,cCe4 =5 mmol/L,反应温度60℃,反应时间3 h时,转化率和接枝效率可分别达到88%和92%以上;转化率随mCTS/mCS增大而增大,接枝效率则随着CTS用量增大降低,CTS的存在使AM均聚的几率增大。