Chitosan Self-Aggregates and Micelles in Drug Delivery
Chitosan, a linear amino-polysaccharide copolymer composed of randomly distributed (1→4) linked D glucosamine and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine units, is obtained by the deacetylation of chitin which is extracted from crustaceans' shells. This cationic polysaccharide has interesting biopharmaceutical
properties like pH sensitivity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, non toxicity, mucoadhesion and low immunogenicity. Chitosan serves as a controlled release matrix and has been widely utilized as a drug delivery system for low molecular drugs, peptides and genes. Chitosan has reactive amino
and hydroxyl groups that help in conjugation with several molecules. Hydrophobic stabilisation of chitosan with an optimum hydrophilichydrophobic balance can form self aggregates due to their inter-molecular hydrophobic interaction. When these polymers come in contact with aqueous solvents
the molecule chains tend to reorganise forming micelle like aggregates that retain their original morphology. This review deals with the synthesis of various chitosan self-aggregates and micelles; their characterisation, biological evaluation and applications in drug delivery.
Keywords: CHITOSAN; DERIVATIVES; HYDROPHOBIC CHITOSAN; MICELLE; SELF-AGGREGATES
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 June 2013
- Journal of Nanopharmaceutics and Drug Delivery (JND) is an international peer- reviewed journal that covers all aspects of nanotechnology that applies to development, formulation and delivery of pharmaceuticals and diagnostic agents. This includes nanoscale pharmaceutics; tools to understand nanoscale pharmaceutical processes in drug discovery and development; design and development of nanoformulations and nanoscale drug delivery systems; regulatory aspects and policies related to nanopharmaceuticals. The journal has been developed to create a new forum for scientific publications at the interface of nanotechnology and pharmaceutical sciences. JND publishes original rapid communications, full research papers and timely state-of-the-art reviews (with author's photo and biography) encompassing fundamental and applied research in nanomaterials for drug delivery, nanopharmaceutics, nanomedicine, nanodiagnostics, nanobiotechnology and nanotoxicology of drug delivery carriers. Rapid communications on new findings with breakthrough results will be considered for accelerated publication.
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