Chapter 14 - Biomedical applications carboxymethyl chitosans

Abstract

Carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) is a water-soluble derivative of chitosan with many improved biological and physicochemical properties compared to the chitosan. The carboxymethyl group can be found at O or N or both the atoms of chitosan which can be further modified via alkylation, acylation, and grafting to yield carboxyethyl, carboxybutyl, and succinyl chitosans showing modulated physical and biological properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, antibacterial activity, antioxidant property, sorption, moisture retention, etc. The CMC or modified CMC is a promising agent and finds its application in drug delivery, wound healing, bioimaging, biosensors, tissue engineering, gene therapy, and so on. Through many scientifically renowned journals and articles, it was observed that CMC and modified CMC could perform satisfactorily according to the demands of the researchers. This chapter is focused on the recent developments and diversified application of CMC in the field of biomedical applications, along with highlighting its novel properties and fabrication techniques.