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Review
. 2022 Aug 29;14(17):3558.
doi: 10.3390/polym14173558.

Potential Medical Applications of Chitooligosaccharides

Sukumaran Anil  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Potential Medical Applications of Chitooligosaccharides

Sukumaran Anil. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

Chitooligosaccharides, also known as chitosan oligomers or chitooligomers, are made up of chitosan with a degree of polymerization (DP) that is less than 20 and an average molecular weight (MW) that is lower than 3.9 kDa. COS can be produced through enzymatic conversions using chitinases, physical and chemical applications, or a combination of these strategies. COS is of significant interest for pharmacological and medical applications due to its increased water solubility and non-toxicity, with a wide range of bioactivities, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, neuroprotective, anticancer, and antioxidant effects. This review aims to outline the recent advances and potential applications of COS in various diseases and conditions based on the available literature, mainly from preclinical research. The prospects of further in vivo studies and translational research on COS in the medical field are highlighted.

Keywords: anti-inflammatory; antimicrobial; antioxidant; antitumor; chitin; chitooligosaccharides; chitosan; drug delivery; tissue engineering; wound healing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Basic chemical structure of N-deacetylated chitooligosaccharides. (Redrawn from the references: Liaqat and Eltem 2018 [3]; Naveed et al., 2019 [34]).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Various methods of chitooligosaccharide production.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Schematic diagram showing the major steps in obtaining Chitooligosaccharides (enzymatic synthesis).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Therapeutic applications of chitooligosaccharides (COSs).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Potential factors responsible for antitumor activities of chitooligosaccharides (COSs). VEGF: Vascular endothelial growth factor; MW: Molecular weight; DP: Degree of polymerization.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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