Antimicrobial activity of chitosan derivatives containing N-quaternized moieties in its backbone: a review.
Chitosan, which is derived from a deacetylation reaction of chitin, has attractive antimicrobial activity. However, chitosan applications as a biocide are only effective in acidic medium due to its low solubility in neutral and basic conditions. Also, the positive charges carried by the protonated amine groups of chitosan (in acidic conditions) that are the driving force for its solubilization are also associated with its antimicrobial activity. Therefore, chemical modifications of chitosan are required to enhance its solubility and broaden the spectrum of its applications, including as biocide. Quaternization on the nitrogen atom of chitosan is the most used route to render water-soluble chitosan-derivatives, especially at physiological pH conditions. Recent reports in the literature demonstrate that such chitosan-derivatives present excellent antimicrobial activity due to permanent positive charge on nitrogen atoms side-bonded to the polymer backbone. This review presents some relevant work regarding the use of quaternized chitosan-derivatives obtained by different synthetic paths in applications as antimicrobial agents.
Department of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM), Av. Colombo, 5790, Maringá-PR 87020-900, Brazil. afmartins50@yahoo.com.br.
Alessandro F
AF
Martins
Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR)-Estrada para Boa Esperança, Dois Vizinhos, Paraná 85660-000, Brazil. ptbon_suh@hotmail.com.
Suelen P
SP
Facchi
Department of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM), Av. Colombo, 5790, Maringá-PR 87020-900, Brazil. hevelinefollmann@hotmail.com.
Heveline D M
HD
Follmann
Department of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM), Av. Colombo, 5790, Maringá-PR 87020-900, Brazil. guilebasso@hotmail.com.
Antonio G B
AG
Pereira
Department of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM), Av. Colombo, 5790, Maringá-PR 87020-900, Brazil. afrubira@uem.br.
Adley F
AF
Rubira
Department of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM), Av. Colombo, 5790, Maringá-PR 87020-900, Brazil. ecmuniz@uem.br.
Edvani C
EC
Muniz
D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D048271:Chitosan / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D014780:Viruses / Q000187:drug effects
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D048271:Chitosan