A review on the biological activities and the nutraceutical potential of chitooligosaccharides.

Chitooligosaccharides (CHOS) or chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) are oligomers mainly composed of d-glucosamine (GlcN) units and structured in a positively charged, basic, amino molecule obtained from the degradation of chitin/chitosan through physical, chemical, or enzymatic methods. CHOS display physicochemical properties attractive to applications from the food to the biomedical field, such as non-toxicity to humans, high water solubility, low viscosity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. These properties also allow CHOS to exert important biological activities, for example, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antitumor, and hypocholesterolemic ones, besides to exhibit applications in food systems, technological, and nutraceutical potential.

Hydrogels based on galactomannan and κ-carrageenan containing immobilized biomolecules for in vivo thermal-burn wound treatment.

Hydrogels based on natural polysaccharides have demonstrated efficacy in epithelial recovery from cutaneous burn wounds. Here, we prepared a double-network hydrogel consisting of galactomannan (from Cassia grandis seeds) and κ-carrageenan (commercially sourced), cross-linked with CaCl, as a matrix for immobilizing lactoferrin and/or Cramoll, aiming at its applicability as dressings for second-degree burn wounds. The formulations obtained [H - hydrogel, HL - hydrogel + lactoferrin, HC - hydrogel + Cramoll and HLC - hydrogel + lactoferrin + Cramoll] were analyzed rheologically as well as in terms of their stability (pH, color, microbial contamination) for 90 days.

Effects including photobiomodulation of galactomannan gel from Cassia grandis seeds in the healing process of second-degree burns.

The epithelium recovery of skin-burned wounds has been currently achieved by several therapies, for example, hydrogel-based dressings and photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT). Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the healing activity of Cassia grandis seeds' galactomannan gel, associated or not with PBMT, in second-degree burns. Sixty male Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: Control (CG), Gel (GG), Laser/PBMT (LG), and Laser+Gel (GLG).

Xyloglucan from Hymenaea courbaril var. courbaril seeds as encapsulating agent of l-ascorbic acid.

This study evaluated the l-ascorbic acid (AA) encapsulation in microparticles of xyloglucan (XAA) extracted from Hymenaea courbaril seeds by spray drying (SD) and its application in tilapia fish burgers. The encapsulation efficiency was 96.34±1.

Lectin-Carbohydrate Interactions: Implications for the Development of New Anticancer Agents.

Lectins are a large group of proteins found in animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria that recognize specific carbohydrate targets and play an important role in cell recognition and communication, host-pathogen interactions, embryogenesis, and tissue development. Recently, lectins have emerged as important biomedical tools that have been used in the development of immunomodulatory, antipathogenic, and anticancer agents. Several lectins have been shown to have the ability to discriminate between normal cells and tumor cells as a result of their different glycosylation patterns.

Healing activity evaluation of the galactomannan film obtained from Cassia grandis seeds with immobilized Cratylia mollis seed lectin.

Galactomannan films from Cassia grandis seeds, associated or not with Cramoll 1,4, were used on topical wounds of rats for the evaluation of the healing process during 14days. All of the films were evaluated by cytotoxic assay, FTIR and lectin hemagglutinating activity (HA). Forty-five male rats were submitted to aseptic dermal wounds (Ø=0.

Immobilization of bioactive compounds in Cassia grandis galactomannan-based films: Influence on physicochemical properties.

Galactomannan extracted from Cassia grandis seeds was used for the production of films containing different concentrations of the bioactive compounds lactoferrin (LF), bioactive peptides (BAPs), and phytosterols. SEM, FTIR, mechanical and thermal properties, colour, moisture content (MC), solubility, water vapour permeability (WVP), and contact angle (CA) were performed evaluating the effect of increasing concentrations of bioactive compounds on the films' physicochemical properties. The immobilization of bioactive compounds leads to films with roughness on their surface, as observed by SEM.

Combined therapy using low level laser and chitosan-policaju hydrogel for wound healing.

We have evaluated the effect of POLI-CHI hydrogel based on policaju (POLI) from cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale L.) gum and chitosan (CHI), associated or not with Low level laser therapy (LLLT), in wound healing. Sixty male Wistar rats were assigned into four groups: POLI-CHI hydrogel (H); LLLT (L); POLI-CHI with LLLT (HL) and saline control (C).

Investigating a galactomannan gel obtained from Cassia grandis seeds as immobilizing matrix for Cramoll lectin.

Characterization, with emphasis on the rheological properties, of Cassia grandis seeds galactomannan gel containing immobilized Cramoll 1-4 is presented. The gels, with and without immobilized Cramoll 1-4, were evaluated along time by rheometry, pH, color, microbial contamination and lectin hemagglutinating activity (HA). Rheological determinations confirmed the gels to be very stable up to 30 days with variations occurring after this period.

Development and characterization of a new hydrogel based on galactomannan and κ-carrageenan.

A new hydrogel based on two natural polysaccharides was prepared in aqueous medium with 1.7% (w/v) galactomannan (from Cassia grandis seeds) and different concentrations of κ-carrageenan (0.3, 0.

Antimicrobial and radical scavenging properties of bovine collagen hydrolysates produced by Penicillium aurantiogriseum URM 4622 collagenase.

A 2(3) full factorial design was used to identify the main effects and interactions of pH, collagen concentration and temperature on the degree of collagen hydrolysis (DH) by collagenase from Penicillium aurantiogriseum URM 4622. Increases in both pH and collagen concentration improved DH, and a positive interaction effect was observed for these variables. On the other hand, temperature had a negative main effect on DH.

Structure and rheological properties of a xyloglucan extracted from Hymenaea courbaril var. courbaril seeds.

Hymenaea courbaril var courbaril seed xyloglucan was efficiently extracted with 0.1M NaCl, followed by ethanol precipitation (yield=72±5% w/w). Its amorphous structure was identified by the pattern of X-ray diffraction.

Development and characterization of hydrogels based on natural polysaccharides: policaju and chitosan.

The development of hydrogels based on natural polysaccharides was investigated by preparing mixtures of policaju/chitosan at weight ratios of 1:4 and 2:3. Utilizing dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques for these mixtures, an increase on the hydrodynamic particle radius was observed varying their pH from 3.0 to 12.

Characterization and rheological study of the galactomannan extracted from seeds of Cassia grandis.

Galactomannan extracted from seeds of Cassia grandis with 0.1M NaCl, followed by ethanol precipitation, presented a yield of 36 ± 8%. The polysaccharide has a constant mannose/galactose ratio (2.

Fermentation medium for collagenase production by Penicillium aurantiogriseum URM4622.

Medium composition and culture conditions for maximal collagenase production by Penicillium aurantiogriseum URM4622 were optimized using a response surface approach. A full two-level design on three factors (initial medium pH, soybean flour concentration, and temperature) was employed to identify the most significant fermentation parameters for collagenase production, and a subsequent central composite design (CCD) was used to find the optimal levels of the two most significant factors (initial medium pH and soybean flour concentration). The design results indicated that the initial medium pH and the temperature had significant negative main effects, whereas the substrate concentration had a positive effect on the collagenase production.

Purification of a lectin from Canavalia ensiformis using PEG-citrate aqueous two-phase system.

A PEG/citrate aqueous two-phase system was tested in the partition of commercial Concanavalin A (Con A) and subsequently applied to the extraction and purification of Con A from the crude extract of Canavalia ensiformis seeds. Con A was successfully extracted to the bottom phase of a system composed of 22% (w/w) PEG8000 and 12% (w/w) citrate at pH 6.0.