Table 3 Properties and applications of important natural polymers used to ensure stabilization of MIONPs
Name | Nature and source | Characteristics | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
Alginate | Anionic polymer obtained from brown seaweed | Biocompatible Low cost and less toxicity Addition of divalent cations result in mild gelation leads to biomedical applications | Used in Delivery of low molecular weight drugs and proteins Wound dressing Tissue and bone regeneration Transplantation of stem cells |
Chitosan | Cationic linear polymer derived from partial deacetylation of chitin | Biocompatible and biodegradable Low allergenicity Non-toxic | Non-viral gene delivery system Obesity and age-related disease treatment Wound healing Dry mouth syndrome treatment Water treatment |
Dextran | Water-soluble polysaccharide consists of mainly α-1,6-glycosides and rarely with α-1,3 branches obtained from bacteria | Biocompatible and biodegradable Optimum polar interactions Low cost and simple alternation | Colloidal solution is get stabilized by dextran and also helps in increasing circulation time in blood |
Pullulan | Water-soluble polysaccharide comprising of linear chains of d-glycopyranosyl units from fungus Aureobasidium pullulans | Adhesive ability Boost nanoparticle colloidal stability Accelerated biocompatibility | Targeted drug delivery along with excellent cytotoxic outcome Transmucosal protein delivery |