ABSTRACT
Polysaccharides that are used most frequently as carriers include cellulose, starch, agarose, dextran or their derivatives. Cellulose derivatives manufactured by some firms can be used as carriers of natural substances either directly (for example, bromacetyl cellulose) or after they are activated (e.g., after transformation of an amide group into a hydrazide one, or of an amine group into a diazo group). Some examples of the commercial types of carriers and sorbents on the basis of cellulose (and other polymers) are given at the end of this chapter. Of interest are hydroxyethyl starch that is tested as a blood substitute and its activated derivatives that can be used as carriers to develop water-soluble preparations. Therefore, the functional derivatives of this polymer are viewed as the most promising carbochain carriers in the production of medical polymers for parenteral administration. Some other methods for activating polyamide carriers.
