ABSTRACT
Chitosan, a cationic, nontoxic, biocompatible natural polymer produced by the deacetylation of chitin, has received considerable attention due to its biological activities and properties in commercial applications. It acts as a pseudoplastic material exhibiting a decrease in viscosity with an increasing rate of shear. Chitosan may be readily derivatized by utilizing the reactivity of the primary amino group and the primary and secondary hydroxyl groups. Due to the formation of disulfide bonds with mucus glycoproteins, mucoadhesiveness is augmented. Interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) is a combination of at least two polymer chains each in network form, of which at least one is synthesized and/or cross-linked in the immediate presence of the other without any covalent bond between them. The anti-inflammatory effects of chitin, chitosan, and their derivatives were reported by a number of researchers. A study of the anticoagulant activity showed that chitosan sulfates with lower MW demonstrated a regular increase of anti-Xa activity like heparins.
