The role of chitosan

Chitosan is a substance that is widely used in daily life. It is obtained by deacetylation of chitin, which is widely present in nature. And because of its properties as a macromolecular substance, it has attracted widespread attention from all walks of life and has also been widely used in medicine, food, chemicals, cosmetics, water treatment, metal extraction and recycling, and other fields. Next, let’s take a look at the role it plays in various aspects.

1. Control cholesterol

One of the biggest problems in human health is cholesterol, which causes many serious diseases. Chitosan has two mechanisms for lowering cholesterol. One is to prevent the absorption of fat, and the other is to excrete cholesterol from the human blood. First, chitosan inhibits the activity of lipase enzymes that aid in fat absorption. Lipase breaks down fats for absorption by the body. Another one is the excretion of bile acid. Once bile acid is excreted, cholesterol in the blood is used to make bile acid. These two mechanisms make chitosan a strong cholesterol scavenger. Chitosan is a natural material with strong anion adsorption capacity and is suitable for lowering cholesterol without any side effects.

2. Inhibit bacterial activity

Chitosan is easily soluble in weak acid solvents. It is particularly worth noting that the dissolved solution contains amino groups (NH2+), which inhibit bacteria by combining negative electrons. Chitosan's antibacterial activity makes it widely used in medicine, textiles, food and other fields.

3. Prevent and control hypertension

One of the most influential factors for high blood pressure is chloride ion (Cl-). It is usually taken in through table salt. Since 2010, many people have consumed excessive amounts of salt. Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) produces angiotensin II, a material that causes vasoconstriction and its activity comes from chloride ions. High molecular weight chitosan acts like dietary fiber and is not absorbed in the intestine. Chitosan excretes chloride ions through the adsorption between its own chloride ions and ammonium ions. Thus, chitosan reduces angiotensin II. It helps prevent high blood pressure, especially in those who consume too much salt.

4. Adsorption and excretion of heavy metals

A remarkable property of chitosan is its adsorption capacity. Many low molecular weight materials, such as metal ions, cholesterol, triglycerides, bile acid and organic mercury, can be adsorbed by chitosan. In particular, chitosan can adsorb not only magnesium and potassium, but also zinc, calcium, mercury and uranium. The adsorption activity of chitosan can be selectively exerted. These metal ions are harmful in high concentrations in the human body. For example, high concentrations of copper ions (Cu2+) in the blood can lead to copper poisoning and even carcinogenic consequences. Chitosan has been shown to be an efficient chelating medium. The adsorption capacity of chitosan depends on its degree of deacetylation. The greater the degree of deacetylation, the stronger the adsorption capacity.

5. Immune effect

Chitosan has a higher protein adsorption capacity; under the action of degradative enzymes (lysozyme, kitinase), chitosan is degradable; chitosan is easily processed into threads, suitable for making linear or sheet-shaped medical materials; chitosan has affinity and solubility, suitable for the production of various derivatives; chitosan has higher chemical activity; chitosan has high water retention; in serum, chitosan is easily degraded and absorbed; chitosan has higher biodegradability; chitosan exhibits a selective and highly inhibitory effect on the growth of oral streptococci, while not affecting the growth of other beneficial bacteria.