• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• 제1권1호
• /
• pp.71-81
• /
• 2000

High molecular weight water-insoluble chitosan alone has been previously shown to exhibit in vitro stimulatory effect on macrophages nitric oxide (NO) production. However, high molecular weight water-soluble chitosan (WSC) had no effect on NO production by itself. When WSC was used in combination with recombinant $interferon-{\gamma}\;(Rifn-{\gamma})$, there was a marked cooperative induction of NO synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. The optimal effect of WSC on NO synthesis was shown at 24 h after treatment with $rIFN-{\gamma}$. The increased production of NO from $rIFN-{\gamma}$ plus WSC-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages was decreased by the treatment with $N^G$ $monomethyl-_L-arginine$. The increase in NO synthesis was reflected, as an increased amounts of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) protein. Synergy between $rIFN-{\gamma}$ and WSC was mainly dependent on WSC-induced nuclear $factor-_KB$ activation. The present results indicate that WSC may provide various activities such as anti-microbial, anti-tumoral, and anti-viral. In addition, since NO has emerged as an important intracellular and intercellular regulatory molecule having functions as diverse as vasodilation, neural communication, cell growth regulation and host defense, it is tempting to hypothesize that this WSC is involved in the local control of the various fundamental processes such as cardiagra, cardiac infarction, impotence etc.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• 제25권2호
• /
• pp.178-183
• /
• 2002

A high molecular ar weight water-soluble chitosan (WSC) with an average molecular weight of 300 kD and a deacethylation level of over 90% was produced using a simple multi-step-membrane separation process. It is known that WSC prevents obesity induced by a high-fat diet. Consequently, this study investigated whether or not WSC improved the ovarian dysfunction caused by obesity in mice. The mice were fed a high density protein and lipid diet for weeks, followed by the administration of WSC at 480 mg/kg body weight per day for 4 days. Thereafter, the changes in body weight, ovulation rate, in vivo and in vitro fertilization and emboryonic development were measured . WSC markedly reduced the body weight of obese mice fed with a high-fat diet, but not in mice fed with a normal diet. WSC had siginificant effects on the ovulation rate, both the in vivo and in vitro fertilization rates and embryonic development. These results indicate an improvement in the ovarian and oviduct dysfunction caused by obesity, and suggest an adjustment in the internal secretions and metabolic functions.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
• /
• 제15권6호
• /
• pp.937-941
• /
• 2006

Chitosan has a wide range of applications in biomedical materials as well as in dietary supplements. Chitosan oligosaccharide with free-amine group (COFa) is an improvement over traditional chitosan that lacks the usual impurities and materials detrimental to the body. Based on a previous study of water soluble chitosan (WSC, chitosan lactate), we investigated the molecular weight (Mw) - dependent absorption phenomena of COFa in vitro and in vivo with various Mws. The absorption of CO Fa was significantly influenced by its molecular weight. As Mw increases, the absorption decreases. The absorption profiles for 5 K COFa (Mw=5 kDa) were observed to be more than 10 times higher than those of high molecular weight chitosan (100 K HWSC Mw=100 kDa) in both in vitro and in vivo transport experiments. Furthermore, the in vitro transport experiment suggested that transcellular transport of the COFa (Mw <10 kDa) through Caco-2 cell layer could occur with a negligible cytotoxic effect. The COFas showed a cytotoxic effect on Caco-2 cells that was dependent on dose and Mw. COFa could be transported transcellularly through the Caco-2 cell layer.

• 공업화학
• /
• 제10권5호
• /
• pp.660-665
• /
• 1999

수용성 키토산을 제조하여 적외선 분광광도계를 이용, 구조확인을 하였으며, X-선 회절분석기로 결정성을, 열분석기로 열안정을 확인을 하였으며, 고유점도법에 의한 점도평균분자량을 측정한 결과 $3.0{\times}10^{4}$와 $4.5{\times}10^{4}$이었다. 점도평균분자량이 $3.0{\times}10^{4}$인 수용성 키토산의 첨가량 따른 일반미생물과 구강미생물에 대한 shaker flask method로 항균효과를 측정한 결과 0.2%의 첨가량에서 Staphylococcus aureus와 Bacillus subtilis는 81.7%와 80.6%의 항균효과를 Escherichia coli는 42.4%의 저해율로 제일 낮은 항균효과를 나타냈으며, 구강미생물인 Streptococcus mutans와 Streptococcus sanguis는 100%의 항균효과를 Streptococcus mitis는 73.8%의 항균효과를 나타냄으로서 일반미생물 보다 구강미생물이 더 우수한 항균력을 나타내었다. 점도평균분자량이 $4.5{\times}10^{4}$인 수용성 키토산은 점도평균분자량이 $3.0{\times}10^{4}$인 수용성 키토산의 1/2 정도의 항균효과를 나타내므로서 점도평균분자량이 작은 수용성 키토산의 항균효과가 월등히 좋았다. 구강미생물의 산도저하 억제효과는 대조군의 경우 배양 후 8분 이내에 pH 7.0에서 4.9로 급격한 pH의 저하를 보인 반면 그 이상에서는 평형을 유지하였으며, 수용성 키토산은 16분 정도까지는 대조군에 비해 현격히 원만한 산도저하 억제효과를 나타내다가 그 이상에서는 평형을 유지하는 것으로 보아 pH 변화에 대한 완충효과가 있음을 알 수 있었다.