title: Anti-inflammatory activity of chitooligosaccharides in vivo.
abstract: All the reports to date on the anti-inflammatory activity of chitooligosaccharides (COS) are mostly based on in vitro methods. In this work, the anti-inflammatory activity of two COS mixtures is characterized in vivo (using balb/c mice), following the carrageenan-induced paw edema method. This is a widely accepted animal model of acute inflammation to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of drugs. Our data suggest that COS possess anti-inflammatory activity, which is dependent on dose and, at higher doses, also on the molecular weight. A single dose of 500 mg/kg b.w. weight may be suitable to treat acute inflammation cases; however, further studies are needed to ascertain the effect upon longer inflammation periods as well as studies upon the bioavailability of these compounds.
authors.affiliation: CBQF/Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, Porto, Portugal. jfernandes@email.com
authors.forename: João C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Humberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Spindola
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santos-Silva
authors.forename: Manuela E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Pintado
authors.forename: Francisco Xavier
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Malcata
authors.forename: João E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000633:toxicity; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008970:Molecular Weight; D019055:No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D002351:Carrageenan; D048271:Chitosan