title: In vitro evaluation of a chitosan membrane cross-linked with genipin.
abstract: The study was to evaluate the characteristics of a chitosan membrane cross-linked with a naturally-occurring cross-linking reagent, genipin. This newly-developed genipin-cross-linked chitosan membrane may be used as an implantable drug-delivery system. The chitosan membrane without cross-linking (fresh) and the glutaraldehyde-cross-linked chitosan membrane were used as controls. The characteristics of test chitosan membranes evaluated were their cross-linking degree, swelling ratio, mechanical properties. antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity, and degradability. It was found that cross-linking of chitosan membrane using genipin increased its ultimate tensile strength but significantly reduced its strain-at-fracture and swelling ratio. There was no significant difference in antimicrobial activity between the genipin-cross-linked chitosan membrane and its fresh counterpart. Additionally, the results showed that the genipin-cross-linked chitosan membrane had a significantly less cytotoxicity and a slower degradation rate compared to the glutaraldehyde-cross-linked membrane. These results suggested that the genipin-cross-linked chitosan membrane may be a promising carrier for fabricating an implantable drug-delivery system. The drug-release characteristics of the genipin-cross-linked chitosan membrane are currently under investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Naval Academy, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Sung
mesh_terms: D000269:Adhesives; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens; D002686:Chitin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D048271:Chitosan; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D005976:Glutaral / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D057889:Iridoid Glycosides; D039823:Iridoids; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009113:Muramidase / Q000378:metabolism; D011714:Pyrans / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000269:Adhesives; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D057889:Iridoid Glycosides; D039823:Iridoids; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011714:Pyrans; D002686:Chitin; D048271:Chitosan; C007834:genipin; D009113:Muramidase; D005976:Glutaral