title: Biocompatibility of thermosensitive chitosan-based hydrogels: an in vivo experimental approach to injectable biomaterials.
abstract: Chitosan, an amino-polysaccharide obtained from the alkaline deacetylation of chitin, presents an interest as a drug vehicle. Indeed, chitosan solutions containing glycerol-2-phosphate (beta-GP) undergo sol-gel transition at a temperature close to 37 degrees C, which make them suitable for the parenteral administration of drugs. However, before using these chitosan derivatives for biomedical applications, it is important to evaluate their biocompatibility, and particularly to test their inflammatory effects. When injected in the hindpaw of the rat, we have shown that: (i) four chitosan/beta-GP solutions tested triggered a non-specific response, with solutions prepared with chitosans of higher deacetylation degrees yielding a lesser inflammatory reaction and (ii) systemic pretreatment of animals with icatibant, apafant and diphenhydramine did not significantly diminish this response; dexamethasone practically abolished it for all solutions and ketanserine only slightly decreased it in one preparation at two different times. In conclusion, it appears that a higher degree of deacetylation of the chitin chain is desirable for superior biocompatibility.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Qué., Canada.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Molinaro
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Leroux
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Damas
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adam
mesh_terms: D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D001381:Azepines / Q000494:pharmacology; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001920:Bradykinin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002686:Chitin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048271:Chitosan; D004155:Diphenhydramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004487:Edema; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry; D020100:Hydrogels; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014230:Triazoles / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001381:Azepines; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D014230:Triazoles; C052518:WEB 2086; D002686:Chitin; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; C065679:icatibant; D004155:Diphenhydramine; D048271:Chitosan; D001920:Bradykinin