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Review
. 2021 Oct 15;11(10):1518.
doi: 10.3390/biom11101518.

Hyaluronic Acid: A Key Ingredient in the Therapy of Inflammation

Andreia Marinho  1 , Cláudia Nunes  1 , Salette Reis  1
Affiliations
Review

Hyaluronic Acid: A Key Ingredient in the Therapy of Inflammation

Andreia Marinho et al. Biomolecules. .

Abstract

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a natural polymer, produced endogenously by the human body, which has unique physicochemical and biological properties, exhibiting desirable biocompatibility and biodegradability. Therefore, it has been widely studied for possible applications in the area of inflammatory diseases. Although exogenous HA has been described as unable to restore or replace the properties and activities of endogenous HA, it can still provide satisfactory pain relief. This review aims to discuss the advances that have been achieved in the treatment of inflammatory diseases using hyaluronic acid as a key ingredient, essentially focusing on studies carried out between the years 2017 and 2021.

Keywords: drug delivery; hyaluronic acid; inflammatory diseases; natural polymer.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemical structure of hyaluronic acid (HA), where the disaccharide units that compose it are shown: D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. Green is shown by hydrogen bonding, including water bonding, and red signifies glycosidic bonds that occur in the molecule.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic representation of the synthesis of HA by hyaluronan synthases (HAS-1, HAS-2 and HAS-3) where the placement of HA in the extracellular space is evidenced.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Representative scheme of enzymatic and ROS degradation of HA.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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