Stabilized magnetic nanoparticles are the subject of intense research for targeting applications and this work deals with the design, preparation and application of specific core-shell nanoparticles based on ionic crosslinked chitosan. The nanometric size of the materials was demonstrated by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) that also proved ...

Bioceramic composites were obtained from chitosan and hydroxyapatite pastes synthesized at physiological temperature according to two different syntheses approaches. Usual analytical techniques (X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, Thermo gravimetric analysis, Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray dispersive energy analysis and Porosimetry) were employed to chara...

The effects of steam sterilization and gamma-irradiation on chitosan and thermogelling chitosan-beta-glycerophosphate (GP) solutions containing polyol additives were investigated. The selected polyols were triethylene glycol, glycerol, sorbitol, glucose and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). They were incorporated to chitosan solutions prior to sterilization in a proportion ranging from 1 to 5% (w/v)...

A hybrid nanocomposite material has been obtained by in situ formation of an inorganic network in the presence of a preformed organic polymer. Chitosan biopolymer and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), which is the most common silica precursor, were used for the sol-gel reaction. The obtained composite chitosan-silica material has been characterized by physicochemical methods such as differential therma...

Recently developed technology permits to optimize simultaneously surface area, porosity, density, rigidity and surface morphology of chitin-derived materials of biomedical interest. Safe and ecofriendly disassembly of chitin has superseded the dangerous acid hydrolysis and provides higher yields and scaling-up possibilities: the chitosan nanofibrils are finding applications in reinforced bone s...

Gene therapy using polymers such as chitosan shows good biocompatibility, but low transfection efficiency. The mechanism of folic acid (FA) uptake by cells to promote targeting and internalization could improve transfection rates. The objective of this study was to synthesize and characterize FA-chitosan-DNA nanoparticles and evaluate their cytotoxicity in vitro. Chitosan-DNA and FA-Chitosan-DN...

The protective efficacy of oral delivery of a DNA construct containing the VP28 gene of WSSV encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles was investigated in black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon). The results showed that significant survival was obtained in WSSV-challenged shrimp at 7, 15 and 30 days post-treatment (relative survival, 85%, 65% and 50%, respectively) whereas 100% mortality was observed...

Rats were fed for2 weeks on five different high-fat diets containing cellulose (control) or chitosan with and without organic acids (i.e., ascorbic, lactic and citric acids) as the dietary fiber. The apparent fat digestibility in the chitosanreceiving groups was significantly lower than in the control group. The addition of ascorbic acid to chitosan caused a larger increase in the fecal fat exc...

In an answer to the challenge of enzymatic instability and low oral bioavailability of proteins/peptides, a new type of drug-delivery vesicle has been developed. The preparation, based on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) embedded in chitosan gel, was used to successfully deliver the model drug-insulin. The self-assembled SDS/β-CD vesicles were prepared and characterized by...

Myocardial infarction (MI) results in the death of cardiomyocytes (CM) followed by scar formation and pathological remodeling of the heart. We propose that chitosan conjugated with the angiopoietin-1 derived peptide, QHREDGS, and mixed with collagen I forms a thermoresponsive hydrogel better suited for the survival and maturation of transplanted cardiomyocytes in vitro compared to collagen and ...