Formulation Perspectives of Chitosan: A Biomolecule for Microencapsulation

Chitosan is a natural polymer composed of randomly distributed β -(1–4)-linked D-glucosamine (deacetylated unit) and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (acetylated unit). It is having great potential for pharmaceutical applications due to its biocompatibility, high charge density, non-toxicity. Together with chitin, chitosan is considered the second most abundant polysaccharide after cellulose. Chitin and chitosan are used in fields as different as food, biomedicine and agriculture. The success of chitin and chitosan in each of these specific applications is directly related to deep research into their physicochemical properties. The purpose of this review is to take a closer look at chitosan applications based on current research and existing products, some new and futuristic approaches in this fascinating area are thoroughly discussed.