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Chitosan and Chitooligosaccharide: The Promising Non-Plant-Derived Prebiotics with Multiple Biological Activities

Summary

This research examines chitosan and chitooligosaccharide (COS), two natural compounds derived from the shells of crustaceans and fungal cell walls, and their potential health benefits. These compounds show promise as natural alternatives to synthetic pharmaceuticals with multiple health-promoting properties. Impacts on everyday life: – Could lead to safer and more natural food preservatives and additives – May help develop better treatments for digestive disorders and metabolic diseases – Potential for creating more environmentally friendly packaging materials – Could improve the effectiveness of dietary supplements and functional foods – May contribute to reducing antibiotic use through natural antimicrobial alternatives

Background

Chitin is the second-most abundant natural polysaccharide, widely existing in exoskeletons of crabs, shrimps, insects, and cell walls of fungi. Chitosan and chitooligosaccharide (COS) are its two most important deacetylated derivatives, which have improved physicochemical properties and additional biological activities compared to chitin.

Objective

This review aims to introduce the production, physicochemical properties, applications and pharmacokinetic characteristics of chitosan and COS, summarize their biological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, and particularly review their prebiotic functions.

Results

The review found that chitosan and COS exhibit significant biological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and prebiotic effects. These activities are influenced by their physicochemical properties like molecular weight, degree of deacetylation, solubility and viscosity. COS shows better anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities due to stronger solubility and absorbability, while chitosan functions better in drug delivery and tissue repair.

Conclusion

Chitosan and COS are promising non-plant-derived prebiotics with multiple biological activities and broader prospects in preventing noncommunicable diseases compared to traditional plant-derived prebiotics. Future research should focus on optimizing preparation technology and improving understanding of their biological functions through volunteer experiments and prospective cohort studies.
  • Published in:International Journal of Molecular Sciences,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.3390/ijms23126761
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