ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the importance of the novel matrix for such biomedical applications, with an emphasis on toxin removal from blood. It investigates the possibility of developing physicochemical affinity immunoadsorbents based on chitosan. Phenylalanine is immobilized to chitosan beads via covalent coupling using glutaraldehyde and tested for the removal of immunoproteins from plasma under in vitro conditions. Two approaches mainly employed to remove the toxins from blood are membrane hemodialysis and adsorbent hemoperfusion. Many techniques have been developed for the treatment of hyperbilirubinemia such as hemodialysis, phototherapy, hemoperfusion, or a combination of these. Among these, hemoperfusion using synthetic resins seems to be the best option. For direct hemoperfusion, the adsorbent should be highly blood-compatible and should not have any adverse reaction with formed elements in blood, and blood should pass through the column with ease. Chitosan seems to be a promising microencapsulation material for activated charcoal, for direct hemoperfusion for the removal of small toxic molecules from blood.
