Hyaluronan is being investigated extensively as a biocompatible and biodegradable material for use in biomedical applications. While the derivatization of hyaluronan broadens its potential therapeutic use, the pharmacokinetics and metabolization of the derivatives must be thoroughly investigated. The fate of intraperitoneally-applied native and lauroyl-modified hyaluronan films with varying degrees of substitution was investigated in-vivo employing an exclusive stable isotope-labelling approach and LC-MS analysis. The materials were gradually degraded in peritoneal fluid, lymphatically absorbed, preferentially metabolized in the liver and eliminated without any observable accumulation in the body. Hyaluronan acylation prolongs its presence in the peritoneal cavity depending on the degree of substitution. The safety of acylated hyaluronan derivatives was confirmed via a metabolic study that revealed its degradation into non-toxic metabolites, i.e. native hyaluronan and free fatty acid. Stable isotope-labelling with LC-MS tracking comprises a high-quality procedure for the investigation of the metabolism and biodegradability of hyaluronan-based medical products in-vivo.
Keywords: Degradation; Hyaluronan derivatives; Implants; In-vivo evaluation; Stable isotope.
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