Evaluation of some biological applications of chitin derivatives extracted from the oriental hornet Vespa orientalis (L).

Abstract

Chitin is the second most abundant natural biopolymer after cellulose; a major constituent of the cell wall of many fungi, insect exoskeleton, and crustacean shells and it largely exists in wastes from the processing of marine food products (crab, shrimp and krill shells). The most common derivative of chitin is chitosan, obtained by partial deacetylation of chitin. One of the most important features of chitosan is the ability to be shaped into different forms such as fibers, hydrogels, beads, sponges, and membranes. Chitosan has been used in several agricultural, food protections, in biomedical and pharmaceuticals applications as drug delivery systems or in drugs formulations. Until the present day, the vast majority of research has been concentrated on crustacean chitosan and its applications. Possibly the main reason for that is the abundance of shrim