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Marine Biopolymers
Published in Se-Kwon Kim, Marine Biochemistry, 2023
The studies on the two biopolymers are developing with an increasing rate. If in the 1960s, the scientists focused on exploring the properties and structures, then nowadays, with advanced techniques, the research ranges from molecular structural aspects to complicated configurations related to applications in biomedicine. Many strange behaviors of alginate and chitin/chitosan have been elucidated and help us in going further to the sophisticated structures and properties.
Bio-Implants Derived from Biocompatible and Biodegradable Biopolymeric Materials
Published in P. Mereena Luke, K. R. Dhanya, Didier Rouxel, Nandakumar Kalarikkal, Sabu Thomas, Advanced Studies in Experimental and Clinical Medicine, 2021
Polymers are attractive bio-materials, they are having excellent machinability, optically transparent used for detection, they are biocompatible with greater thermal and electrical properties, and with high-aspect-ratio for the microstructures. Polymers can be easily used for surface modification and functionalization. This is more applicable in the case of biopolymers including DNA, proteins, and natural polymers. Both synthetic and natural polymer materials are used in soft fabrication techniques.
Nanosuspensions as Nanomedicine: Current Status and Future Prospects
Published in Debarshi Kar Mahapatra, Sanjay Kumar Bharti, Medicinal Chemistry with Pharmaceutical Product Development, 2019
Shobha Ubgade, Vaishali Kilor, Abhay Ittadwar, Alok Ubgade
Apart from these, D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS), polyethylene glycols (PEGs), polyvinyl alcohols (PVAs) have also been used as stabilizers [70]. However, the nanosuspensions are not stabilized permanently by these stabilizers and aggregation may occur during storage or when nanosuspensions are being dried. Furthermore, some of the common stabilizers raise toxicity concerns if used in large quantity for a long-term, limiting the therapeutic application of drug nanosuspensions [4, 71–74]. For example, Cremophor® EL and Tween–80 are two commercial surfactants that are widely used to solubilize poorly water-soluble drugs, but they also cause serious neuro-and nephrotoxicity as well as acute hypersensitivity reaction [75, 76]. Thus, there remains to be a demand to find new stabilizers with better stabilizing capacity and less toxicity. Food biopolymers, especially food proteins, are widely used in formulated foods because they have high nutritional values and are generally recognized as safe [77, 78]. The proteins include soybean protein isolate (SPI), whey protein isolate (WPI), β-lactoglobulin (β-lg), etc. (Table 4.1). The drug-to-stabilizer ratio in the formulation may vary from 1:20 to 20:1 and should be investigated in specific case(s). Lecithin is the stabilizer of choice if one intends to develop a parenteral nanosuspension [22].
Current trends in the use of human serum albumin for drug delivery in cancer
Published in Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, 2022
Milan Paul, Asif Mohd Itoo, Balaram Ghosh, Swati Biswas
During the last several decades, several nanocarriers have been developed utilizing diverse organic and inorganic compounds to encapsulate and increase the delivery of hydrophobic drugs used in cancer therapy. Metals, silicon, carbon, and polymers such as lipids and proteins are examples of nanoscale materials used to provide targeted drug delivery [1]. Biopolymers, such as lipids and proteins, are the coveted choice in the design of nano-based drug delivery systems, even though all of these materials have shown immense promise as drug delivery nanomaterials. The application of biopolymers is recommended for various reasons, including their ability to scale up, minimal toxicity, and excellent biocompatibility [2–5]. Human serum albumin (HSA), often known as albumin, is a biological molecule that may be easily purified and produced at the nanoscale and is present in both liquid and solid tissues [6,7]. Albumin is the most bountiful carrier protein in blood plasma, with a half-life (T1/2) of 19 days [8–10]. Albumin has several remarkable features that make it an attractive candidate for drug delivery. As a transport protein, albumin carries hormones, vitamins, and other hydrophobic molecules by binding via non-covalent, mainly electrostatic and Vander Waal interactions [11]. Albumins therapeutic application began during World War II when it was utilized as a plasma replacement and later in the therapy of cirrhosis.
Localized, on-demand, sustained drug delivery from biopolymer-based materials
Published in Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, 2022
Junqi Wu, Sawnaz Shaidani, Sophia K. Theodossiou, Emily J. Hartzell, David L. Kaplan
Natural biopolymers provide unique features in drug delivery implants compared to synthetic delivery systems. Many synthetic delivery systems use organic solvents during material processing and drug loading, resulting in decreased bioavailability of APIs. Material processing of natural biopolymers often utilizes aqueous and ambient processing conditions, thus maintaining the bioavailability of APIs, which is especially beneficial for the delivery of biologics. Additionally, surface functional groups on biopolymer-based systems support chemical modifications that allow for chemical grafting of small hydrophobic molecules, solving solubility issues. Natural biopolymer-based systems also offer versatile delivery formats, and non-inflammatory degradation products, making them advantageous as drug implant materials.
Microbially-derived cocktail of carbohydrases as an anti-biofouling agents: a ‘green approach’
Published in Biofouling, 2022
Harmanpreet Kaur, Arashdeep Kaur, Sanjeev Kumar Soni, Praveen Rishi
The EPS of biofilms, also known as the ‘the house of biofilms’ (Flemming et al. 2007), is synthesized by the microorganisms present in a biofilm. It mainly consists of different biopolymers like carbohydrates, proteins, glycopeptides, nucleic acids, lipids, glycolipids, and humic acid substances, as shown in Fig. 2 (Cortés et al. 2011; Hobley et al. 2015; Fulaz et al. 2019). These biopolymers act as cementing material that holds the biofilm cells together (Flemming and Wingender 2010). For this reason, the EPS is also known as the ‘cement’ of biofilms. The EPS plays a crucial role in the establishment, protection, and stability of the biofilm structure. It provides cohesive mechanical stability to the biofilms and endows a protective environment for microorganisms encased within them. It is also responsible for the extremely high recalcitrance of biofilm cells to antimicrobials, host defences, and protection against unfavorable environmental conditions (Del Pozo and Patel 2007; Di Martino 2018). For example, EPS impairs or slows down the penetration of antibiotics or other antimicrobials into the biofilms, and it also protects the biofilm cells from phagocytosis. Besides playing the protective role, the EPS serves as a scavenging system as it helps in trapping and concentrating essential minerals and nutrients from the surrounding environment (Flemming et al. 2007; Flemming 2020). The details of different biopolymers are discussed in the subsequent sections: