In vitro evaluation of a chitosan membrane cross-linked with genipin

Abstract

The study was to evaluate the characteristics of a chitosan membrane cross-linked with a naturally-occurring cross-linking reagent, genipin. This newly-developed genipin-cross-linked chitosan membrane may be used as an implantable drug-delivery system. The chitosan membrane without cross-linking (fresh) and the glutaraldehyde-cross-linked chitosan membrane were used as controls. The characteristics of test chitosan membranes evaluated were their cross-linking degree, swelling ratio, mechanical properties. antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity, and degradability. It was found that cross-linking of chitosan membrane using genipin increased its ultimate tensile strength but significantly reduced its strain-at-fracture and swelling ratio. There was no significant difference in antimicrobial activity between the genipin-cross-linked chitosan membrane and its fresh counterpart. Additionally, the results showed that the genipin-cross-linked chitosan membrane had a significantly less cytotoxicity and a slower degradation rate compared to the glutaraldehyde-cross-linked membrane. These results suggested that the genipin-cross-linked chitosan membrane may be a promising carrier for fabricating an implantable drug-delivery system. The drug-release characteristics of the genipin-cross-linked chitosan membrane are currently under investigation.

Effects of Au nanoparticles on thermoresponsive genipin-crosslinked gelatin hydrogels

“…The cytotoxicity of genipin is ca. 10,000 times lower than that of glutaraldehyde [14] and therefore genipin is extremely valuable in the development of biocompatible materials.…”

Overview on Biocompatibilities of Implantable Biomaterials

“…50% deacetylated chitosan has a less inflammation reaction than the others when they are implanted in vivo [126]. Cross-linking of chitosan membrane using genipin and some other chemical agents can increase the membrane's ultimate tensile strength but significantly reduced its strain-at-fracture and swelling ratio [127]. In the author's own group, an ammonia treated chitosan sponge was implanted subcutaneously in rats for 8 weeks ( Figure 5).…”

New crosslinkers for electrospun chitosan fibre mats. I. Chemical analysis

“…Most of the time, however, it is crosslinked in blends with synthetic polymers such as PVA [30], poly (vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) [31] and PEO [32] and with the biopolymers gelatin [33,34] and silk fibroin [35]. The mechanism of crosslinking is the spontaneous reaction of genipin with the NH 2 group of CS (figure 1a,b,f ) [24] or a protein with a reactive amino-group; it forms dark blue or green pigments [22][23][24]. Another known CS crosslinker is hexamethylene-1,6-diaminocarboxysulphonate (HDACS; figure 1c).…”