Toxicity study of chitosan administered in feed to Sprague Dawley [Crl:CD(SD)] rats.

Chitosan is a cationic carbohydrate polymer that is commercially derived from the deacetylation of chitin obtained from seafood shells. The most widespread route of human exposure to chitosan is as a dietary supplement for body weight reduction. Chitosan was nominated by the National Cancer Institute for mechanistic studies designed to measure the potential for vitamin E depletion and osteoporosis following ingestion. Male and female Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to chitosan (86.5% deacetylated, with an average molecular weight of approximately 82 kilodaltons and estimated to be approximately 94% pure) in feed for 6 months. (Abstract Abridged).