Chitosan and Its Derivatives: Preparation and Antibacterial Properties.

This comprehensive review illuminates the various methods of chitosan extraction, its antibacterial properties, and its multifarious applications in diverse sectors. We delve into chemical, physical, biological, hybrid, and green extraction techniques, each of which presents unique advantages and disadvantages. The choice of method is dictated by multiple variables, including the desired properties of chitosan, resource availability, cost, and environmental footprint. We explore the intricate relationship between chitosan's antibacterial activity and its properties, such as cationic density, molecular weight, water solubility, and pH. Furthermore, we spotlight the burgeoning applications of chitosan-based materials like films, nanoparticles, nonwoven materials, and hydrogels across the food, biomedical, and agricultural sectors. The review concludes by highlighting the promising future of chitosan, underpinned by technological advancements and growing sustainability consciousness. However, the critical challenges of optimizing chitosan's production for sustainability and efficiency remain to be tackled.

The Influence of Ultrasonic Activation on Microstructure, Phase Transformation and Mechanical Properties of Porous Ni-Ti Shape Memory Alloys via Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis.

Porous Ni-Ti shape memory alloys (SMAs) have been widely studied in biomedical and engineering applications. Porous Ni-Ti SMAs were obtained via self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS), and their microstructure, phase transformation, and mechanical properties were investigated. This article presents the results of a study of changes in the microstructure, phase transformation, and mechanical properties of porous Ni-Ti SMAs when Ni and Ti metal powders were preliminarily subjected to ultrasonic activation at various periods. It was determined that the porosity of the obtained alloy samples was 62-68 vol%. The microstructure was composed of the main matrix Ni-Ti phase and the accompanying Ti and Ti2-Ni phases. The results show that the hardness 34.1-86.8 HB and elastic modulus 4.2-10.8 GPa increased with an increase in the ultrasonic activation time of the samples. The phase transformation temperature of the Ni-Ti shape memory alloy remained almost unchanged under the influence of ultrasonic treatment.

Benzothiazole Derivatives of Chitosan and Their Derived Nanoparticles: Synthesis and In Vitro and In Vivo Antibacterial Effects.

In this work, we focused on synthesizing and assessing novel chitosan-based antibacterial polymers and their nanoparticles by incorporating benzothiazole substituents. The growing resistance to antibiotics has necessitated the search for alternative antimicrobial compounds. This study aimed to synthesize and evaluate chitosan-based polymers and nanoparticles with benzothiazole substituents for their antibacterial properties and toxicity. The benzothiazole derivatives of chitosan and their nanoparticles were synthesized through electrochemical coupling. The in vivo antibacterial efficacy was tested on white rats with induced peritonitis using a microbial suspension containing S. aureus and E. coli. Additionally, in vitro and in vivo toxicity assessments were conducted. The chitosan-based antibacterial systems showed significant in vivo antibacterial activity, surpassing that of unmodified chitosan and commercial antibiotics. Moreover, the toxicity studies revealed low toxicity levels of the synthesized derivatives, which did not differ significantly from native chitosan. The synthesized chitosan-based polymers and nanoparticles demonstrated potent antibacterial activity and low toxicity, highlighting their potential as effective alternatives to traditional antibiotics. Further investigations in pharmacology and preclinical trials are recommended to explore their application in clinical settings.

Chitosan-Based Ciprofloxacin Extended Release Systems: Combined Synthetic and Pharmacological (In Vitro and In Vivo) Studies.

Ciprofloxacin is one of the most effective antibiotics, but it is characterized by a range of side effects. Elaboration of drug-releasing systems which allow to diminish toxicity of ciprofloxacin is a challenging task in medicinal chemistry. The current study is focused on development of new ciprofloxacin releasing systems (CRS). We found that ultrasound efficiently promotes N,N'-dicyclohexyl carbodiimide-mediated coupling between COOH and NH2 functionalities in water. This was used for conjugation of ciprofloxacin to chitosan. The obtained ciprofloxacin/chitosan conjugates are capable of forming their self-assembled nanoparticles (SANPs) in aqueous medium. The SANPs can be additionally loaded by ciprofloxacin to form new CRS. The CRS demonstrated high loading and encapsulation efficiency and they are characterized by extended release profile (20 h). The elaborated CRS were tested in vivo in rats. The in vivo antibacterial effect of the CRS exceeded that of the starting ciprofloxacin. Moreover, the in vivo acute and subacute toxicity of the nanoparticles was almost identical to that of the chitosan, which is considered as the non-toxic biopolymer.

The first selenium containing chitin and chitosan derivatives: Combined synthetic, catalytic and biological studies.

Ultrasonic approach to the synthesis of the first selenium-containing derivatives of chitin and chitosan has been developed. The synthetic procedure is simple, provides high yields, does not require harsh conditions, and uses water as the reaction medium. The elaborated chitin and chitosan derivatives and their based nanoparticles are non-toxic and possess high antibacterial and antifungal activity. Their antimicrobial activity exceeds the effect of the classic antibiotics (Ampicillin and Gentamicin) and the antifungal drug Amphotericin B. The obtained selenium-containing cationic chitin and chitosan derivatives exhibit a high transfection activity and are promising gene delivery vectors. Nanoparticles of the synthesized polymers are highly efficient catalysts for the oxidation of 1-phenylethyl alcohol to acetophenone by bromine at room temperature.

Chitosan derivatives and their based nanoparticles: ultrasonic approach to the synthesis, antimicrobial and transfection properties.

In the present work, we demonstrate that alkylation of chitosan by alkyl halides, aza-Michael reaction with chitosan, and AdN-E reaction of chitosan with aldehydes can be efficiently mediated by ultrasound. An optimization of ultrasonic irradiation parameters allowed us to (i) accelerate the rate of the reactions dramatically, (ii) achieve high selectivity, and (iii) preserve integrity of the polysaccharide backbone avoiding its depolymerization. We evaluated antibacterial/antifungal and transfection activity of 8 different derivatives of chitosan and their based nanoparticles in vitro. Moreover, we studied antibacterial activity of the most efficient polymer and their based nanoparticles in vivo. The tested polymer proved to be superior to reference commercial antibiotics ampicillin and gentamicin.

Ultrasound-assisted catalyst-free thiol-yne click reaction in chitosan chemistry: Antibacterial and transfection activity of novel cationic chitosan derivatives and their based nanoparticles.

In this work, we demonstrate that the thiol-yne click reaction could be efficiently mediated by ultrasonic irradiation and implement the ultrasound-assisted thiol-yne click reaction to chitosan chemistry as a polymer-analogous transformation. We optimize power and frequency of ultrasound to preserve selectivity of the click reaction and avoid ultrasonic degradation of the chitosan polymer chain. Thus, we obtain a new water-soluble betaine. Using ionic gelation of the obtained betaine derivatives of chitosan, we prepare nanoparticles with a unimodal size distribution. Furthermore, we present results of antibacterial and transfection activity tests for the chitosan derivatives and their based nanoparticles. The derivative with a medium molecular weight and a high degree of substitution demonstrated the best antibacterial effect. It derived nanoparticles with a size of ca. 100 nm and ζ-potential of ca. +69 mV revealed even higher antibacterial activity, slightly superior to commercial antibiotics ampicillin and gentamicin. On the contrary, the obtained polymers possess a much more pronounced transfection activity as compared with their based nanoparticles and species with a low degree of substitution acts as the most efficient transfecting agent. Moreover, the obtained betaine chitosan derivatives as well as their derived nanoparticles are non-toxic.

Sonication accelerated formation of Mg-Al-phosphate layered double hydroxide via sol-gel prepared mixed metal oxides.

Single-phase magnesium-aluminium layered double hydroxide (LDH) intercalated with dihydrogen phosphate was successfully produced by hydration of nanopowder of the respective mixed metal oxide (MMO) obtained using sol-gel based method followed by a two-step anion exchange hydroxide-to-chloride and chloride-to-phosphate. The MMO with the metal cation ratio of Mg/Al = 2:1 was prepared using the aqueous sol-gel method. Processes of the parent Mg2Al-OH LDH formation and the successive anion-exchanges, ОН- → Cl- and Cl- → H2PO4-, were considerably accelerated via the application of high-power (1.5 kW) ultrasound. The crystalline phases formed at all stages of the Mg2Al-H2PO4 LDH production were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, inductive coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Based on the data of chemical analysis and the XRD data, the type of the intercalated phosphate anion was determined and the arrangement of this anion in the interlayer was modelled.