Chitosan as a potential biomaterial for the management of oral mucositis, a common complication of cancer treatment

Abstract

Oral mucositis is a serious issue in patients receiving oncological therapies. Mucosal protectants considered to be one of the preferred choices used in the management of mucositis. However, the protective efficacy of currently available mucosal protectants has been significantly compromised due to poor retention, lack of lubrication, poor biodegradability, and inability to manage secondary complications. Chitosan is a promising material for mucosal applications due to its beneficial biomedical properties. Chitosan is also anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and capable of scavenging free radicals, makes it a good candidate for the treatment of oral mucositis. Additionally, chitosan’s amino polysaccharide skeleton permits a number of chemical alterations with better bioactive performance. This article provides a summary of key biological properties of chitosan and its derivatives that are useful for treating oral mucositis. Current literature evidence shows that Chitosan has superior mucosal protective properties when utilised alone or as delivery systems for co-encapsulated drugs.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Chitosan
• biological activities
• oral mucositis
• chemotherapy
• therapeutic adjunct

Acknowledgement

The authors acknowledge the help of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. India.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The research was funded by the DBT Builder project with order no [BT/INF/22/SP45078/2022].