ABSTRACT
In this study, a simple method was developed to crosslink chitosan using poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with different molecular weights. Crosslinking of chitosan was confirmed by various spectral analyses. The differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) study indicated that the rigid crystalline structure of chitosan was decreased after crosslinking with PEG. The PEG-crosslinked chitosan (PEG-Ch) showed a pH-independent swelling behavior: swelled in both the simulated stomach (pH 1.1) and intestinal (pH 7.4) solutions. The swelling ratio of PEG-Ch increased significantly with a higher molecular weight of PEG used. In contrast, chitosan dissolved completely in a simulated stomach solution and showed a comparatively less swelling in a simulated intestinal solution. Thus, the prepared PEG-Ch could be a better biomaterial than chitosan in the development of orally sustained drug-delivery devices.
Subject(s)
Biocompatible Materials/chemical synthesis , Chitosan/chemical synthesis , Chitosan/metabolism , Polyethylene Glycols/chemistry , Biocompatible Materials/chemistry , Calorimetry, Differential Scanning , Chitosan/chemistry , Computer Simulation , Cross-Linking Reagents/chemistry , Drug Delivery Systems , Formaldehyde/chemistry , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Molecular Structure , Molecular WeightABSTRACT
Thiazolidinone derivatives (TDCs) were prepared by converting chitosan into chitosan's Schiff's bases (CSBs), followed by treatment with mercaptoacetic acid. Both CSBs and TDCs were tested for antimicrobial activity against four different bacteria. All TDCs showed comparatively better anti-microbial activity without much affecting basic physical properties of chitosan such as film-forming capacity, tensile strength, etc. This indicates that chitosan derivatives with a thiazolidinone moiety might be a better material for wound dressing.
