Antiproliferative potentials of chitin and chitosan encapsulated gold nanoparticles derived from unhatched Artemia cysts

Hierarchical chitin and chitosan-derived heterostructural nanocomposites: From interdisciplinary applications to a sustainable vision

Natural biopolymeric nanomaterials are highly prioritized and indispensable for industrial production and human use due to their exceptional features. In recent years, the development of bioinspired materials has rapidly advanced, driven by their outstanding qualities and versatile applications. Among these, chitin and chitosan stand out for their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and hierarchical structures, captivating researchers worldwide. In order to ameliorate the characteristics of these materials, integrating them with complementary components such as polymers, organics, and nanomaterials to create multifunctional chitinous bio-composites has become increasingly important. This review highlights recent progress in the development of these composite biomaterials, emphasizing biomimetic design, synthesis methodologies, and applications in drug delivery, cancer therapy, tissue engineering, wound healing, antimicrobial activity, food safety, natural bio-adhesives, and various industrial uses, alongside their ecological balance on Earth within a sustainable vision. Additionally, the discussion also addresses ongoing challenges and explores potential prospects for advancing these innovative biocomposites.

Gold nanoparticles supported on aldehyde-functionalized chitin nanocrystals as efficient catalysts in environmental catalysis

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with ultra-small size anchored onto support materials is highly desired towards good catalytic performance. In this study, aldehyde-functionalized chitin nanocrystals (ChNCs-PVMA) are prepared by surface-initiated electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ARGET ATRP) with vanillin methacrylate (VMA) as a functional monomer, which are used as reductant, stabilizer and support for the fabrication of AuNPs through an environmentally friendly process that eliminates the need for any additional reducing agents. The abundant aldehyde groups of the prepared ChNCs-PVMA are crucial to achieve ultra-small AuNPs with average size of 5.3 nm. The obtained Au@ChNCs-PVMA nanohybrid catalysts were systematically characterized by FTIR, XPS, XRD and TEM. Finally, the catalytic activity of the Au@ChNCs-PVMA catalysts are investigated for reduction of 4-NP and discoloration of azo/non-azo dyes, demonstrating excellent catalytic performance and reusability. These findings provide significant insights into the development of bio-supported nanohybrid catalyst for various environmental catalysis.

Comparing the antibacterial activity of chitin nanocrystals with chitin: exploring the feasibility of chitin nanocrystals as novel pesticide nanocarriers in agriculture

BACKGROUND

In recent years, nanomaterials-based pesticide carriers have garnered significant attention and sparked extensive research. However, most studies have primarily focused on investigating the impact of physical properties of nanomaterials, such as size and modifiable sites, on drug delivery efficiency of nano-pesticides. The limited exploration of biologically active nanomaterials poses a significant obstacle to the advancement and widespread adoption of nano-pesticides. In this study, we prepared chitin nanocrystals (ChNC) based on acid hydrolysis and systematically investigated the differences between nano- and normal chitin against plant bacteria (Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci). The primary objective was to seek out nanocarriers with heightened biological activity for the synthesis of nano-pesticides.

RESULTS

Zeta potential analysis, Fourier Transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) identified the successful synthesis of ChNC. ChNC showcased remarkable bactericidal activity at comparable concentrations, surpassing that of chitin, particularly in its ability to inhibit bacterial biofilm formation. Furthermore, ChNC displayed heightened effectiveness in disrupting bacterial cell membranes, resulting in the leakage of bacterial cell contents, structural DNA damage, and impairment of DNA replication. Lastly, potting experiments revealed that ChNC is notably more effective in inhibiting the spread and propagation of bacteria on plant leaves.

CONCLUSION

ChNC exhibited higher antibacterial activity compared to chitin, enabling efficient control of plant bacterial diseases through enhanced interaction with bacteria. These findings offer compelling evidence of ChNC's superior bacterial inhibition capabilities, underscoring its potential as a promising nanocarrier for nano-pesticide research. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Recent advances in nanoparticle applications in respiratory disorders: a review

Various nanoparticles are used in the discovery of new nanomedicine to overcome the shortages of conventional drugs. Therefore, this article presents a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the effects of nanoparticle-based drugs in the treatment of respiratory disorders, including both basic and clinical studies. Databases, including PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and Scopus, were searched until the end of August 2022 regarding the effect of nanoparticles on respiratory diseases. As a new tool, nanomedicine offered promising applications for the treatment of pulmonary diseases. The basic composition and intrinsic characteristics of nanomaterials showed their effectiveness in treating pulmonary diseases. The efficiency of different nanomedicines has been demonstrated in experimental animal models of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis (PF), lung cancer, lung infection, and other lung disorders, confirming their function in the improvement of respiratory disorders. Various types of nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, dendrimers, polymeric nanomaterials, liposomes, quantum dots, and metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, have demonstrated therapeutic effects on respiratory disorders, which may lead to new possible remedies for various respiratory illnesses that could increase drug efficacy and decrease side effects.

Collagen, protein hydrolysates and chitin from by-products of fish and shellfish: An overview

Waste processing from fish and seafood manufacturers represents a sustainable option to prevent environmental contamination, and their byproducts offer different benefits. Transforming fish and seafood waste into valuable compounds that present nutritional and functional properties compared to mammal products becomes a new alternative in Food Industry. In this review, collagen, protein hydrolysates, and chitin from fish and seafood byproducts were selected to explain their chemical characteristics, production methodologies, and possible future perspectives. These three byproducts are gaining a significant commercial market, impacting the food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, agriculture, plastic, and biomedical industries. For this reason, the extraction methodologies, advantages, and disadvantages are discussed in this review.

Chitin and Chitosan: Prospective Biomedical Applications in Drug Delivery, Cancer Treatment, and Wound Healing

Chitin and its derivative chitosan are highly abundant polymers in nature, appearing in both the shells and exoskeletons of various marine and non-marine species. Since they possess favorable properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity, and non-immunogenicity, they have gained recent attention due to their enormous potential biomedical applications. The polycationic surface of chitosan enables it to form hydrogenic and ionic bonds with drug molecules, which is one of its most useful properties. Because chitosan is biocompatible, it can therefore be used in drug delivery systems. The development of chitosan-based nanoparticles has also contributed to the significance of chitin as a drug delivery system that can deliver drugs topically. Furthermore, chitin can be used in cancer treatment as a vehicle for delivering cancer drugs to a specific site and has an antiproliferative effect by reducing the viability of cells. Finally, chitosan can be used as a wound dressing in order to promote the faster regeneration of skin epithelial cells and collagen production by fibroblasts. As discussed in this review, chitin and chitosan have diverse applications in the medical field. Recognizing the biomedical applications of these two polymers is essential for future research in tissue engineering and nanobiotechnology.