ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the various applications of chitosan in combination with pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, especially in hypocholesterolemic, immunoenhancing, homeostasic, and anticancer functions, based on current research as well as the recent literature. Chitosan and its derivatives may be used as antibacterial, fungistatic, hemostatic, anticancer, bone formation, immunoadjuvant, spermicidal, antioxidant, preservative, metal chelate, artificial organ, tissue engineering, wound-healing, hypocholeteromic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and immunity-enhancing. Chitosan solutions also exhibit pseudoplastic and viscoelastic nature, which is essential for ocular drug delivery since the main aspect of the delivery in ophthalmic therapy centers around the retention time of the delivery system in the eye. Chitosan has been extensively investigated in the formulation of novel drug delivery systems. The chapter focuses on physicochemical and biological properties of chitosan and uses in the fabrication of drug delivery systems especially for targeted and controlled applications.
