title: Synthesis and characterization of a novel hyaluronic acid hydrogel.
abstract: Hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan, HA) has many medical applications as a biomaterial. To enhance its biostability, a novel hydrogel of cross-linked hyaluronic acid was prepared using a double cross-linking process, which involves building cross-linkages between hydroxyl group pairs and carboxyl group pairs. The present study explored a number of cross-linking processes in order to obtain different degrees of cross-linking, which were evaluated by the measurement of water absorption capacity as an index of the gel network density. To gain a better understanding of the stability of the gel, the chemical structure and particularly the rheological behaviour of the cross-linked HA, which included the influences of factors, such as degree of cross-linking, HA concentration and gel particle size, were investigated. The in vitro biostability against hyaluronidase and free radical degradation was tested to show that the cross-linked hydrogel had improved resistance to in vitro hyaluronidase and free radical degradation.
authors.affiliation: Mentor Biopolymers Ltd, Heriot Watt Research Park, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, UK. xzhao@mentorcorp.com
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004548:Elasticity; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase / Q000494:pharmacology; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010316:Particle Size; D012212:Rheology; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014783:Viscosity; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D014867:Water; C012896:1,2,7,8-diepoxyoctane; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase; D005976:Glutaral