Special Issue "Chitosan-Based Coatings for Food, Pharmaceutical and Medical Applications"

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Membranes and Films".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 September 2023 | Viewed by 9465

Special Issue Editors

1. School of Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
2. Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
Interests: food biochemistry; protein chemistry; bioactive peptides; functional foods; bioprocessing; food matrix interaction; bioaccessibility; nanodelivery systems; biomolecular interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
Interests: chitosan; curcumin; food proteins; bioactive compounds; nanoencapsulation; molecular interaction; biostability; protein-chitosan nanocomplexes; bio-nano interactions; giant unilamellar vesicles; food chemistry; molecular docking

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The use of chitosan-based coatings for food, pharmaceutical and medical applications has gained increasing interest in recent years. Chitosan is abundant, renewable and hence sustainable and possesses an interesting macromolecular structure and physicochemical properties that can be manipulated under different environmental conditions to fit various applications. Its safety, biodegradability, biocompatibility and intrinsic functional properties make it an ideal candidate for coating numerous materials for various purposes.

This Special Issue focuses on novel applications of chitosan-based coatings in (1) food, such as functional food formulations, food additives, antioxidant and antimicrobial coatings, food protection, nutraceuticals, anticholesterolemic dietary products, flavor encapsulation, bioactive compound protection, nano- and microencapsulation, food powders, edible films, fibers, beads, gels, food packaging, shelf-life extension, color stabilizers, controlled release, moisture transfer, feed additives, essential oil stabilization and other related research; (2) pharmaceuticals, such as drug formulation, delivery vehicles, controlled drug release, transfection-enhancing properties, sponges, tablets, capsules, solutions, gels, fibers, films, implants for drug delivery, chitosan-coated drugs for oral, nasal, buccal, ocular, vaginal, parenteral, transdermal and intravesical administration, hydrogels, wound dressing, gene, vaccine and site-specific antibiotic delivery, nanoparticles, microspheres, emulsion, coacervation, gelation, matrix coating, absorption enhancement, permeation enhancers, transmucosal administration, imaging agents, cross-linking reactions and other related pharmaceutical applications; (3) medicine, such as cancer therapy, drug delivery, biofabrication, gene therapy, delivery agents for anticancer drugs, cancer diagnosis, biomedical materials, 2D and 3D scaffolds, regenerative medicine, implants, orthopedics, imaging, dental implants, biomedical engineering, tissue engineering, medical devices, adsorption of protein onto biomaterials, cell–biomaterial interactions, cell adhesion and other related research.

We encourage researchers to submit original research articles and reviews on any of the various applications of chitosan-based coatings for publication. This Special Issue will provide new insights into the application of the materials and proffer solutions to the current challenges impeding future application and expansion.

Prof. Dr. Chibuike C. Udenigwe
Dr. Ogadimma Desmond Okagu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • chitosan coating
  • food
  • pharmaceutical
  • medicine
  • therapy
  • functional food
  • biomedicine
  • drug delivery
  • biomaterial

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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Article
Benzothiazole Derivatives of Chitosan and Their Derived Nanoparticles: Synthesis and In Vitro and In Vivo Antibacterial Effects
Polymers 2023, 15(16), 3469; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15163469 - 19 Aug 2023
Viewed by 809
Abstract
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 [...] Read more.
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. Full article
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Article
Chitosan (CS)/Hydroxyapatite (HA)/Tricalcium Phosphate (β-TCP)-Based Composites as a Potential Material for Pulp Tissue Regeneration
Polymers 2023, 15(15), 3213; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15153213 - 28 Jul 2023
Viewed by 434
Abstract
This research focused on developing new materials for endodontic treatments to restore tissues affected by infectious or inflammatory processes. Three materials were studied, namely tricalcium phosphate β-hydroxyapatite (β-TCP), commercial and natural hydroxyapatite (HA), and chitosan (CS), in different proportions. The chemical characterization using [...] Read more.
This research focused on developing new materials for endodontic treatments to restore tissues affected by infectious or inflammatory processes. Three materials were studied, namely tricalcium phosphate β-hydroxyapatite (β-TCP), commercial and natural hydroxyapatite (HA), and chitosan (CS), in different proportions. The chemical characterization using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the composition of the composite. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that the design and origin of the HA, whether natural or commercial, did not affect the morphology of the composites. In vitro studies using Artemia salina (A. salina) indicated that all three experimental materials were biocompatible after 24 h, with no significant differences in mortality rate observed among the groups. The subdermal implantation of the materials in block form exhibited biocompatibility and biodegradability after 30 and 60 days, with the larger particles undergoing fragmentation and connective tissue formation consisting of collagen type III fibers, blood vessels, and inflammatory cells. The implanted material continued to undergo resorption during this process. The results obtained in this research contribute to developing endodontic technologies for tissue recovery and regeneration. Full article
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Article
Oral Delivery of Psoralidin by Mucoadhesive Surface-Modified Bilosomes Showed Boosted Apoptotic and Necrotic Effects against Breast and Lung Cancer Cells
Polymers 2023, 15(6), 1464; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15061464 - 15 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1608
Abstract
This study aims to design and optimize chitosan-coated bilosomal formulations loaded with psoralidin (Ps-CS/BLs) with improved physicochemical properties, oral bioavailability, and boosted apoptotic and necrotic effects. In this regard, uncoated bilosomes loaded with Ps (Ps/BLs) were nanoformulated using the thin-film hydration technique using [...] Read more.
This study aims to design and optimize chitosan-coated bilosomal formulations loaded with psoralidin (Ps-CS/BLs) with improved physicochemical properties, oral bioavailability, and boosted apoptotic and necrotic effects. In this regard, uncoated bilosomes loaded with Ps (Ps/BLs) were nanoformulated using the thin-film hydration technique using different molar ratios of phosphatidylcholine (PC), cholesterol (Ch), Span 60 (S60), and sodium deoxycholate (SDC) (1:0.4:0.2:0.125, 1:0.4:0.2:0.25, and 1:0.4:0.2:0.5, respectively). The best-optimized formulation with respect to size, PDI, zeta potential, and EE% was selected and then coated with chitosan at two different concentrations (0.125 and 0.25 w/v%), forming Ps-CS/BLs. The optimized Ps/BLs and Ps-CS/BLs showed a spherical shape and relatively homogenous size with negligible apparent agglomerations. Additionally, it was demonstrated that coating Ps/BLs with chitosan has significantly increased the particle size from 123.16 ± 6.90 in the case of Ps/BLs to 183.90 ± 15.93 nm in the case of Ps-CS/BLs. In addition, Ps-CS/BLs exhibited higher zeta potential (+30.78 ± 1.44 mV) as compared to Ps/BLs (−18.59 ± 2.13 mV). Furthermore, Ps-CS/BL showed enhanced entrapment efficiency (EE%) of 92.15 ± 7.20% as compared to Ps/BLs (68.90 ± 5.95%). Moreover, Ps-CS/BLs exhibited a more sustained release behavior of Ps compared to Ps/BLs over 48 h, and both formulations were best obeying the Higuchi diffusion model. More importantly, Ps-CS/BLs displayed the highest mucoadhesive efficiency% (74.89 ± 3.5%) as compared to Ps/BLs (26.78 ± 2.9%), indicating the ability of the designed nanoformulation to improve oral bioavailability and extend the residence time inside the gastrointestinal tract upon oral administration. Moreover, upon evaluating the apoptotic and necrotic effects of free Ps and Ps-CS/BLs on human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) and human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (A549), there was a dramatic increase in the percentages of the apoptotic and necrotic cell compared to the control and free Ps. Our findings suggest the possible oral use of Ps-CS/BLs in hampering breast and lung cancers. Full article
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Article
Fabrication of Novel Omeprazole-Based Chitosan Coated Nanoemulgel Formulation for Potential Anti-Microbia; In Vitro and Ex Vivo Characterizations
Polymers 2023, 15(5), 1298; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15051298 - 04 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1075
Abstract
Infectious diseases remain inevitable factors for high mortality and morbidity rate in the modern world to date. Repurposing is a novel approach to drug development has become an intriguing research topic in the literature. Omeprazole is one of the top ten proton pump [...] Read more.
Infectious diseases remain inevitable factors for high mortality and morbidity rate in the modern world to date. Repurposing is a novel approach to drug development has become an intriguing research topic in the literature. Omeprazole is one of the top ten proton pump inhibitors prescribed in the USA. The literature suggests that no reports based on omeprazole anti-microbial actions have been discovered to date. This study entails the potential of omeprazole to treat skin and soft tissue infections based on the literature’s evident anti-microbial effects. To get a skin-friendly formulation, a chitosan-coated omeprazole-loaded nanoemulgel formulation was fabricated using olive oil, carbopol 940, Tween 80, Span 80, and triethanolamine by high-speed homogenization technique. The optimized formulation was physicochemically characterized for zeta potential, size distribution, pH, drug content, entrapment efficiency, viscosity, spreadability, extrudability, in-vitro drug release, ex-vivo permeation analysis, and minimum inhibitory concentration determination. The FTIR analysis indicated that there was no incompatibility between the drug and formulation excipients. The optimized formulation exhibited particle size, PDI, zeta potential, drug content, and entrapment efficiency of 369.7 ± 8.77 nm, 0.316, −15.3 ± 6.7 mV, 90.92 ± 1.37% and 78.23 ± 3.76%, respectively. In-vitro release and ex-vivo permeation data of optimized formulation showed 82.16% and 72.21 ± 1.71 μg/cm2, respectively. The results of minimum inhibitory concentration (1.25 mg/mL) against selected bacterial strains were satisfactory, suggesting a successful treatment approach for the topical application of omeprazole to treat microbial infections. Furthermore, chitosan coating synergistically increases the antibacterial activity of the drug. Full article
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Article
Production and Characterization of Biocomposite Films of Bacterial Cellulose from Kombucha and Coated with Chitosan
Polymers 2022, 14(17), 3632; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14173632 - 02 Sep 2022
Viewed by 1372
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to produce and characterize bacterial cellulose (BC) films coated with chitosan (BC-CH). BC films were produced in a fermentation medium based on Camellia sinensis tea and dextrose (12 days at 25 °C) and subsequently treated with coating-forming [...] Read more.
The purpose of this research is to produce and characterize bacterial cellulose (BC) films coated with chitosan (BC-CH). BC films were produced in a fermentation medium based on Camellia sinensis tea and dextrose (12 days at 25 °C) and subsequently treated with coating-forming solutions (CFSs) based on chitosan (BC-CH 0.5%, BC-CH 1.0%, and BC-CH 1.5%). As a result, the FTIR spectra of BC and BC-CH 1.5% showed the main characteristic bands of cellulose and chitosan. In the physicochemical characterization of the films, it was found that the incorporation of the chitosan coatings did not affect the thickness; however, it decreased the luminosity (L*) and increased redness (a*), yellowness (b*), and opacity (75.24%). Additionally, the light absorption properties in the UV-Vis range were improved. Furthermore, the application of the CFSs increased: the solubility (64.91%), the antimicrobial activity against S. aureus (6.55 mm) and E. coli (8.25 mm), as well as the antioxidant activity (57.71% and 24.57% free radical scavenging activity), and the content of total phenols (2.45 mg GAE/g). Finally, our results suggest that the BC-CH films developed in the present study show a potential application as active packaging material for food. Full article
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Review

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Review
Chitosan-Based Composites: Development and Perspective in Food Preservation and Biomedical Applications
Polymers 2023, 15(15), 3150; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15153150 - 25 Jul 2023
Viewed by 827
Abstract
Chitin, which may be the second-most common polymer after cellulose, is the raw material of chitosan. Chitosan has been infused with various plant extracts and subsidiary polymers to improve its biological and physiological properties. Chitosan’s physicochemical properties are enhanced by blending, making them [...] Read more.
Chitin, which may be the second-most common polymer after cellulose, is the raw material of chitosan. Chitosan has been infused with various plant extracts and subsidiary polymers to improve its biological and physiological properties. Chitosan’s physicochemical properties are enhanced by blending, making them potential candidates that can be utilized in multifunctional areas, including food processing, nutraceuticals, food quality monitoring, food packaging, and storage. Chitosan-based biomaterials are biocompatible, biodegradable, low toxic, mucoadhesive, and regulate chemical release. Therefore, they are used in the biomedical field. The present manuscript highlights the application of chitosan-based composites in the food and biomedical industries. Full article
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Review
Chitosan Edible Films and Coatings with Added Bioactive Compounds: Antibacterial and Antioxidant Properties and Their Application to Food Products: A Review
Polymers 2023, 15(2), 396; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15020396 - 12 Jan 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2566
Abstract
Chitosan is the deacetylated form of chitin regarded as one of the most abundant polymers and due to its properties, both chitosan alone or in combination with bioactive substances for the production of biodegradable films and coatings is gaining attention in terms of [...] Read more.
Chitosan is the deacetylated form of chitin regarded as one of the most abundant polymers and due to its properties, both chitosan alone or in combination with bioactive substances for the production of biodegradable films and coatings is gaining attention in terms of applications in the food industry. To enhance the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of chitosan, a vast variety of plant extracts have been incorporated to meet consumer demands for more environmentally friendly and synthetic preservative-free foods. This review provides knowledge about the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of chitosan films and coatings enriched with natural extracts as well as their applications in various food products and the effects they had on them. In a nutshell, it has been demonstrated that chitosan can act as a coating or packaging material with excellent antimicrobial and antioxidant properties in addition to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity. However, further research should be carried out to widen the applications of bioactive chitosan coatings to more foods and industries as well was their industrial scale-up, thus helping to minimize the use of plastic materials. Full article
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