Thiolated Chitosans: A Multi-talented Class of Polymers for Various Applications

Abstract

Various properties of chitosan can be customized by thiolation for very specific needs in a wide range of application areas. Since the discovery of thiolated chitosans, many studies have proven their advantageous characteristics, such as adhesion to biological surfaces, adjustable cross-linking and swelling behavior, controllable drug release, permeation as well as cellular uptake enhancement, inhibition of efflux pumps and enzymes, complexation of metal ions, antioxidative properties, and radical scavenging activity. Simultaneously, these polymers remain biodegradable without increased toxicity. Within this Review, an overview about the different possibilities to covalently attach sulfhydryl ligands to the polymeric backbone of chitosan is given, and the resulting versatile physiochemical properties are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the broad spectrum of applications for thiolated chitosans in science and industry, ranging from their most advanced use in pharmaceutical and medical science over wastewater treatment to the impregnation of textiles, is addressed.

Thiolation of Chitosan Loaded over Super-Magnetic Halloysite Nanotubes for Enhanced Laccase Immobilization

“…This led to a significant enhancement of laccase loading over the HNTs-Fe3O4-CTs-SH. A similar mechanism of the laccase immobilization over the (-SH) modified supports was reported earlier [19,7,33,34].…”

“…Still, there is a huge scope to adopt new immobilization strategies. One such important strategy is thiolation (-SH) of the amino (-NH 2 ) group of CTs loaded on magnetic-HNTs [ 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Therefore, this study mainly emphasized the thiolation of the amino (-NH 2 ) group present of CTs-modified magnetic HNTs.…”

“…Thiolation of chitosan has attracted significant attention in recent years for many desirable applications such as enzyme immobilization, drug delivery, cosmetics, and tissue engineering [ 19 , 20 ]. Thiolation of the CTs involves modification of the surface amino (-NH 2 ) group to the thiol (-SH) group by NHS-ester reaction [ 22 ].…”

Current approaches in lipid-based nanocarriers for oral drug delivery

“…Chitosan, a polysaccharide derived from chitin, has been widely used for the formulation of nanocarriers due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability and bioadhesion. Chitosan-modified lipid-based nanocarriers have positive charge that facilitates the interaction with the intestinal mucus by electrostatic interactions, although Van der Waals forces, hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds can also be involved [192]. Additionally, chitosan can reversibly open tight junctions between enterocytes, what may enhance the paracellular transport and oral bioavailability [108,193].…”

α-Cellulose Fibers of Paper-Waste Origin Surface-Modified with Fe3O4 and Thiolated-Chitosan for Efficacious Immobilization of Laccase

“…The immobilization of laccase and exploring its environmental applications has received enormous attention due to ease of separation, long-term stability, and reuse of the immobilized biocatalysts [37,38]. Thiolation of the CTNs surfaces is an emerging methodology for enzymes, peptides, and proteins immobilization, as well as for developing potential biotechnological and environmental applications-degradation of metabolic disruptors as well [39][40][41][42]. Antibiotics used for livestock, fish farms, and humans are evolving as a serious pollutant in aquatic environments [43].…”