Abstract
Polysaccharides are natural polymers with hydrophilic, biocompatible and biodegradable characteristics and have many opportunities in the food and pharmaceutical sectors. This review focuses on the field of nano and microstructures whose internal structure is based on networked polysaccharide chains in 3D i.e., polysaccharide nanogels (NGs) and microgels (MGs). As it is observed the number of articles on NGs and MGs in peer reviewed scientific journals has been increasing over the last two decades. At the same time, the relative contribution of polysaccharides in this field is gaining place. This review focuses on the different applied methods for the fabrication of a variety of polysaccharide-based NGs and MGs and aims to highlight the recent advances on the subject and present their potentials and properties with regards to their integration in aspects of medicinal and food sciences. The presentation of the recent advances in the application of polysaccharide NGs and MGs is divided in materials with potential as emulsion stabilizers and materials with potential as carriers of bioactives. For applications in the medical sector the division is based on the fabrication processes and includes self-assembled, electrostatically complexed/ionically crosslinked and chemically crosslinked NGs and MGs. It is concluded that many advances are expected in the application of these polysaccharide-based materials and in particular as nutrient-loaded emulsion stabilizers, viscosity modifiers and co-assembled structures in combination with proteins.
Highlights
Polysaccharides are naturally derived biopolymers with hydrophilic properties and with polyelectrolyte properties in many instances [1]
This review focuses on the field of nano and microstructures whose internal structure is based on networked polysaccharide chains in 3D i.e., polysaccharide nanogels (NGs) and microgels (MGs)
This review focuses on the different applied methods for the fabrication of a variety of polysaccharide-based NGs and MGs and aims to highlight the recent advances on the subject and present their potentials and properties with regards to their integration in aspects of medicinal and food sciences
Summary
Polysaccharides are naturally derived biopolymers with hydrophilic properties and with polyelectrolyte properties in many instances [1]. Hydrogels provide hydrophilic porous structures of 3D polymeric networks that may deliver drugs, proteins and growth factors to cells and tissues [10,11] and can be used to accommodate cells for proliferation and tissue growth [12] These properties are retained in the micro- or nano-level and are suitable as micro- and nano-particles in applications that include nanodelivery of drugs, nutrients and proteins and bioimaging. A polysaccharide that has been extensively studied due to its positive charge that makes it ideal for polyelectrolyte complexation with different anionic polysaccharides is analyzed for both medicinal and food applications These materials are well-known in these relevant fields as they are broadly used for decades due to their properties. This review intends to motivate the use of polysaccharides for the preparation of NGs and MGs taking advantage of the knowledge gained from both the fields of food and medical science
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