CHITOSAN-CHONDROITIN SULFATE AND CHITOSAN-HYALURONATE POLYELECTROLYTECOMPLEXES - BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

In this work, we compare some biological properties of a highly deacet ylated chitosan to those obtained with the materials made from its pol yelectrolyte complexes with various GAG's such as chondroitin-sulfates and hyaluronic acid. The hydrolysis of the complexes by means of the specific hydrolytic enzymes is studied. Cell-adhesion and cell-prolife ration on these materials is compared to that obtained with a pure chi tosan material. Finally, a series of in vivo experiments is performed to test the wound-healing properties of this kind of complexes. All th e results agree to show that chitosan has a protective effect against GAG's hydrolysis by their specific enzymes but only at pH's different from the optimal pH of the enzyme considered. In addition, they also a gree to confirm that a pure chitosan material gives the best results i n connection with cell-attachment and cell-proliferation or wound heal ing. Nevertheless, whatever the case, no adverse effect was observed w ith the polyelectrolyte complexes GAG's-chitosan. (C) 1998 Published b y Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.