Chitosan and chitosan derivatives are promising biopolymers for nasal or vaginal drug delivery using micro- or nanoparticles. However, the pH-dependent solubility of chitosan and excessive water uptake in the presence of ions is suboptimal. Water uptake can result in rapid initial release of the drug due to collapse of the chitosan-based transport vehicle. To stabilize the drug release, research is being conducted to modify the polymer structure by physical crosslinking. Aim of the presented study was to investigate the influence of microparticle composition, in particular the amount of ion crosslinker (CF) introduced, on the release profile of water-soluble drugs from the chitosan matrix.

Fungal infection with Candida of dentures is a common complication. The adhesion of microorganisms such as Candida is influenced by material properties such as surface charge, hydrophobicity and roughness. The formation of oral biofilms is associated with caries, periodontitis or denture stomatitis. It is therefore important to prevent the formation of biofilms, also because antifungal agents are of little help.
The polymer polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is widely used for denture fabrication due to its biocompatibility, but it is susceptible to biofilm formation. Therefore, research into strategies to endow dentures with antifungal properties is important.

In 2019, many interesting and innovative research articles about chitosan and chitosan derivatives were published. In this article we present you an overview which chitosan reserach topics were important in 2019.

Whats new in April? Many different articles about chitin and chitosan were published in scientific journals.