Biopolymers and their derivatives: Key components of advanced biomedical technologies

Abstract

In the biomedical field, researchers are always looking for novel materials with improved qualities that may be used in a variety of applications, including pharmaceutical formulations, drug targeting, MRI, drug delivery systems, prostheses, theranostic, and tissue engineering scaffolds. Despite the undeniable traits of the synthetic polymers, such as their reproducible structure and controlled molecular weight, degradation, and mechanical properties, they typically lack biologically relevant bioactivity, biodegradability, and biocompatibility, which are critical aspects in medicine. It is well acknowledged that materials produced from natural resources, such as polysaccharides, have significant benefits over manufactured materials. These advantages stem not just from polysaccharides' inherent abundance in nature, but also from the fact that their structure is comparable to that of extracellular matrix components. This remarkable property has several advantages in terms of biocompatibility and bioactivity, as the human body readily absorbs natural polymers. We strive to update the most recent results in the field of biomaterials including the usage of primary polysaccharides and their derivatives in this study. Polysaccharides such as (i) cellulose, (ii) chitosan, (iii) pullulan, and (iv) starch are given special attention, although a few additional polysaccharides are briefly discussed as well. Because polysaccharides may not always match the requirements for biological use in their natural state, chemical derivatization is frequently employed to transform them. As a result, the above-mentioned polysaccharides, as well as their derivatives, are examined in terms of their chemical and biological peculiarities.

Keywords: Biomaterials; Cellulose; Chitosan; Functionalization; Polysaccharides; Pullulan; Starch.