Biopolymers最新文献

Cassia tora, an annual shrub, is a promising but underexplored source of galactomannan, comparable to widely used sources, such as fenugreek, guar, and locust bean. Galactomannans are heteropolysaccharides composed of galactose and mannose, valued for their role as dietary fibers and texture modifiers in food applications. This study aimed to optimize Cassia tora gum's extraction process, characterize its physiochemical properties, and quantify its galactomannan content to assess its potential as a gelling agent. The extraction process was optimized by varying key parameters, including the water-to-seed powder ratio, boiling time, and mucilage-to-ethanol ratio, achieving a 96% recovery of gum, higher than the reported yield with high purity. Physiochemical analysis revealed that the extracted gum contained 84.12% carbohydrate with a galactose-to-mannose ratio of 1:5. Galactomannan content was determined to be 55% in raw Cassia seeds. Rheological studies demonstrated a minimum gelation concentration of 75%, highlighting the gum's potential as an efficient gelling agent. These findings underscore the feasibility of utilizing Cassia tora as a sustainable and cost-effective source of galactomannan for food and industrial applications, offering a valuable alternative to conventional sources.

Guided bone regeneration (GBR) is a regenerative surgical procedure in dentistry and orthopedics. The aim of this study is to fabricate a novel nano-textured, hydrophilic thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-based barrier membrane containing unsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid (OLE) to assist GBR. First, TPU copolymer containing OLE in different ratios was synthesized, and GBR membranes were fabricated by the solvent casting method, and then, the surface properties were improved by alkali treatment. Thus, a TPU-OLE structure was obtained with improved surface wettability, the ability to prevent bacterial adhesion, and the capability to promote cell adhesion. The contact angle reduced from 73.3° ± 1° to 30.7° ± 0.3° at TPU-OLE3, while at TPU it decreased from 121.2° ± 2.5° to 63.6° ± 0.8° after treatment with 3 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution. Furthermore, plate counting assays showed that TPU-OLE membranes displayed excellent bacterial inhibition (against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus); the control group showed 6 × 10⁷ CFU/mL of E. coli bacterial colonies, while on the plates interacting with TPU-OLE1, TPU-OLE2, and TPU-OLE3 membranes, colonies of 12 × 10⁵, 12 × 10⁵, and 24 × 10⁵ CFU/mL were observed, respectively. The bacterial count on TPU-OLE1, TPU-OLE2, and TPU-OLE3 membranes decreased by 109, 164, and 12 × 10⁵ CFU/mL at 24 h, while the control group and TPU membranes showed 1300 × 10⁵ and 600 × 10⁵ CFU/mL, respectively. The obtained results indicated that either alkali treatment or OLE-modified TPU produced a more hydrophilic and promotive surface for cell attachment. Therefore, we anticipate that alkali-treated TPU-OLE membranes have a great potential in GBR in future applications.

This study considers the development of composite from biodegradable bioplastic obtained from waste starch reinforced with chitosan obtained from snail shells. About 30 g of the starch, 8 mL of glycerol, 2 mL of olive oil, and 8 mL of vinegar were added without chitosan and made up to 150 mL with distilled water. For other samples, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 g of chitosan were added as reinforcements. The solution was thoroughly mixed, then heated to a temperature of 70°C and stirred continuously till it started to gel, after which it was dried for 3 days. The developed composite was evaluated via physical, mechanical, and structural analyses. The results indicated that the sample with 0.5 g of chitosan reinforcement outperformed others with or without chitosan reinforcement, showing evidence of low water content, solubility, absorption, high tensile strength, and Young's modulus. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results revealed that the chitosan amino group chemically reacted with the starch hydroxyl group, and a bio-blend was formed. From the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) test, the morphology of the composite surface showed homogeneity with no visible agglomerates, while the x-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed a sharp peak at 2θ of 29°. In addition, the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) shows that the thermoplastic starch with 0.5 g of chitosan has the highest thermal stability at 750°C, leaving 19.63% residue. This study is significant as it enhances the application of bioplastics, encourages waste-to-wealth conversion, reduces waste generation, and promotes environmental sustainability.

Advanced skin care involves innovative, multifunctional, and bio-inspired biomaterials capable of regenerating skin tissue. Here, we report the facile route for the fabrication of the bio-sourced pH-responsive hydrogels based on κ-carrageenan and gelatin, with properties desirable for the treatment of versatile skin disorders. The extensive characterization revealed differences in physicochemical properties due to chemical modifications of the hydrogels. Porosity ranged from 21.67% to 95.81%. By modifying κ-carrageenan hydrogels with gelatin, the Young's modulus values increased proportionally with the gelatin content, ranging from 0.23 to 2.90 MPa, while native κ-carrageenan hydrogels had the lowest values (0.12–0.42 MPa) and native gelatin hydrogels had the highest (10.85–18.03 MPa). Native κ-carrageenan hydrogels exhibited the most pronounced swelling (18.6–27.0), followed by gelatin-modified κ-carrageenan hydrogels (6.5–23.0) and native gelatin hydrogels (7.8–9.0). The native κ-carrageenan hydrogels also displayed the highest water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) (259.99 ± 16–279.91 ± 19 g m⁻² day⁻¹), while the presence of gelatin lowered it. The hydrogels were preliminary exposed to human fibroblasts (MRC-5 cell line) and then to Caenorhabditis elegans to reveal the effects on whole living organisms. The summarized results suggest that the hydrogels represent advantageous and versatile biocompatible biomaterials set for further investigation as delivery platforms for bioactive molecules suitable for skin tissue regeneration.

This comprehensive review explores the potential of plant- and biopolymeric-based antibacterials as innovative therapeutic agents for infectious skin wound healing. By researching the antibacterial properties of various plants, the review highlights their application in skin tissue engineering. Beyond reviewing antibacterial plant extracts, the article delves into the limitations these natural compounds face, such as hydrophilicity, drug release rates, cell attachment, and scaffold stability when integrated into tissue engineering constructs. The review also emphasizes the role of biopolymeric materials, hydrogel optimization, and crosslinkers to improve scaffold performance. This review provides a roadmap for future research by addressing critical factors in scaffold construction. In the end, it aims to guide the development of more effective wound dressings and tissue scaffolds, combining the natural power of plants with advanced biopolymeric materials for enhanced wound healing therapies.

This study demonstrates a new degradable 3D-printed carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC)/zein bone scaffold loaded with different content of cuprorivaite (Cup) nanoparticles which labeled as CMCS/Z/Cup. Only a few studies have utilized these components to fabricate a three-component porous osteogenic scaffold. The aim of this study was to comprehensively assess the mechanical and biocompatibility of the nanocomposite which synthesized by 3D printing method. For this purpose, the Cup powder was initially synthesized through sol–gel process and its confirmation was proved using techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Then, three CMC/Z scaffolds were made with different Cup contents: group A (0 wt.% Cup), group B (2.5 wt.% Cup) and group C (5 wt.% Cup). The scaffolds were well-ordered microporous with a high porosity and pore connectivity, as observed by morphological analysis by SEM. Additionally, the pore size of group B was more homogeneous than that of groups A and C. There were no significance differences in physicochemical characterization among the three groups. Mechanical properties analysis showed that values of compression modulus are significantly increased with addition of 2.5% Cup nanoparticles into CMCS/zein matrix, from 1.2 to 9.6 MPa. The incorporation of Cup nanoparticles into CMCS along with zein can provide a suitable substrate for the growth of osteoblast cells after implantation, as indicated by the results of in vitro degradation. The scaffolds were cultured in vitro with MG-63 cells, showing that cell viability increased with the Cup content, 95%, 105%, and 110% for the pure polymeric scaffold, and scaffolds reinforced with 2.5% and 5% Cup, respectively. As a result, the scaffolds designed in this study possess the ability to be used in bone tissue engineering due to having characteristics similar to natural bone.

Proteins have shown significant potential as carrier systems due to specific binding interactions with several drug molecules. Among several other animal proteins, whey protein (WP) is a by-product of the dairy industry, mainly composed of globular proteins. β-Lactoglobulin (BLG) is a major component of WP, which offers a unique functional property for drug delivery, such as thermal stability, binding interactions, favorable charge characteristics, and a spherical shape. Several drug delivery systems (DDSs) have been developed using BLG as a carrier, including nanoparticles, nanocapsules, nanocomposites, nanoemulsions, solid dispersions, microparticles, and hydrogels. These delivery systems improve drug solubility, loading capacity, bioavailability, stability, and release rate and can provide targeted delivery. They have been employed in diverse applications, from treating cancer to enhancing oral drug delivery, reducing the toxicity of specific drugs, and offering controlled drug release. The future of BLG DDSs holds the promise of combination therapies, personalized medicine, and improved targeting precision. This review aims to discuss the role and utilization of BLG in several DDSs as a versatile carrier, revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry. However, further research is expected to focus on optimizing degradation rates, enhancing biological compatibility, and addressing potential immune responses of BLG-based drug carriers.

Dry heat treatment (DHT) is considered a green technology to modify starch structure and functionality since it does not generate effluents and avoids the use of chemical compounds, however, there is still no comprehensive understanding of the effects and mechanisms on the multi-scale structure and their relationship with functionality. This paper reviewed and analyzed the effects of DHT on multi-scale starch structures and functional properties, compared the performance of continuous and repeated DHT, discussed a mechanism of starch dry heating, and summarized the applications of dry-heated starches. DHT evaporates water, accelerates the movement of starch molecules, and breaks hydrogen bonds, which changes the multi-scale structure. In turn, structural modifications promoted by DHT affect the hydration properties, thermal stability, slowly digestible/resistant starch formation, and glycemic index. The multi-scale structure and functional changes after DHT are strongly affected by the starch botanical source and process conditions. This review contributes to understanding the starch DHT modification and establishes a theoretical basis for advancing DHT applications in the starch industry.

The stability of α-crystallin, the major protein of the mammalian eye lens and a molecular chaperone, is one of the most crucial factors for its survival and function. The chaperone-like activity and stability of α-crystallin dramatically increased in the presence of Zn². Each subunit of α-crystallin could bind multiple zinc atoms through inter-subunit bridging and cause enhanced stability. Three histidines H104, H111, and H119 of recombinant human αB-crystallin (HSPB5) are found to be the Zn²⁺ binding residues. In this article, we did site-directed mutagenesis of six histidine residues and made five-point mutants and a double mutant of αB-crystallin. We studied the effect of zinc on the chaperone function, surface hydrophobicity, and stability of the histidine mutants. We removed the histidine tag from H18A and H101V mutants and studied the stability and chaperone function in the presence and absence of zinc. H83 and H111 mutations showed similar enhancement in chaperone function like WT in the presence of Zn²⁺. Point mutants having his tags showed similar stability enhancement, but point mutant H18A without his tag showed less enhancement in stability in the presence of zinc. This indicates the significance of the presence of his tags in the study of zinc binding interaction with recombinant human αB-crystallin.