Aplicação de polissacarídeos para a produção de curativos e outros biomateriais

Abstract

In this chapter, conceptual definitions of biomaterials and the types of compounds used in their constitution (metals, ceramics, natural and synthetic polymers and composites) are initially discussed, as well as aspects related to the biomaterials application and market. Due to the attractiveness of polysaccharides, a class of natural polymers, attributed to characteristics such as renewability, low or no cytotoxicity, biodegradability and, in some cases, biological activity, these particular compounds are focused in more detail. Aspects related to their chemical structure and three--dimensional molecular organization are discussed and some of their key limitations in terms of technological applications are presented. Some of the polysaccharides most frequently used to obtain products for health care and their specific features are addressed, such as chitosan, alginate, xanthan gum and pectin, covered in greater detail, and cellulose, hyaluronic acid, starch, agarose, carrageenan, gellan gum, guar gum, galactomanan, heparin and dextrin, focused in a less comprehensive way. Finally, four different applications of polysaccharides in the constitution of biomaterials are described: the development of dressings for skin lesions, the production of matrices applicable as scaffolds for cell culture in tissue engineering, production of devices for the prevention of peritoneal adhesions and development of nano-- and microparticles for use in the controlled release of bioactive agents.