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A naturally occurring biopolymer, chitosan has found widespread application in the fields of biomedical research and healthcare enhancement. Through a thorough analysis of recent research findings and technological advancements, this review seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest developments and potential uses of chitosan in the field of biomedicine. Microbe cells' anionic lipopolysaccharides and surface proteins interact with the polycationic composition, releasing intracellular components and resulting in cell death. The degree of antimicrobial activity is highly dependent on the particular type of microbe being targeted. Chitosan is highly susceptible to enzymatic hydrolytic breakdown pathways in the human body, especially when lysozymes are involved. Moreover, adding chitosan derivatives to mice's diet improved their health by increasing their enzymatic activity, which is related to its scavenging properties and shows anti-microbial activity. Furthermore, the assessment of sutures manufactured from this substance emphasizes their noteworthy input to the field of modern wound care.

Abstract Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is commonly characterized by shortness of breath, coughing or expectoration. Smoking is the leading cause of COPD development, but only a small percentage of smokers develop symptoms, implying a genetic component. Glutathione S‐transferase enzymes are responsible for detoxifying cigarette smoke components. The role of glutathione S‐transferase T1 (GSTT1) and glutathione S‐transferase M1 (GSTM1) gene polymorphism was assessed with COPD susceptibility and associated clinical parameters in the North Indian population. This was a cross‐sectional study involving 200 COPD patients and 200 healthy individuals, with peripheral blood sampling and adequate questionnaires. Multiplex PCR was used for genotyping GSTT1 and GSTM1 gene polymorphism. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals to assess the COPD risk and GST polymorphisms. The GSTT1 gene deletion rate was higher in COPD cases (34.5%) than in healthy individuals (20.5%). A statistical relationship between the GSTT1(−) null genotype and COPD risk was observed (odds ratio = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.30–3.20, P = 0.0019). After adjusting for covariates like age, sex and smoking status, a significant association was found for GSTT1(−) null genotype and COPD risk (adjusted odds ratio = 2.90, 95% CI = 1.43–5.87, P = 0.003). The GSTT1(−) genotype was also significantly correlated with clinical parameters for COPD risk. Another primary observation was that females with the GSTT1(−) null genotype were more vulnerable to COPD than males with the same gene deletion. The GSTT1(−) null genotype strongly correlates with COPD development, while no association was observed in the GSTM1(−) null genotype in the North Indian population.

In this study, guar gum (GG) was chemically modified to its carboxymethyl derivative, which was then esterified with octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) using a nucleophilic catalyst 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) to render the derivative amphiphilic characteristics. The carboxymethyl guar gum (CMGG) and succinoylated CMGG was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy. The amphiphilic CMGG synthesized using DMAP/OSA ratio of 0.5:1 (CMGGOSA-I), was found to be non-toxic. The amphiphilic guar gum self-assembled in water to form nanocarriers with mean diameter of 430 ​nm and zeta potential of −19.0 ​mV. Transmittance electron microscope (TEM) image showed spherical nature of the developed CMGGOSA-I nanocarriers. In presence of amphiphilic CMGG, the aqueous solubility of glimepiride was enhanced by about 67-fold. The nanocarriers released glimepiride in simulated gastrointestinal fluids for a period of more than 24 ​h, following Higuchi's kinetics. Korsmeyer-Peppas modeling of the drug release data revealed that a combination of swelling and diffusion mechanism was operative in the event of drug release. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model, the nanocarriers outperformed pure drug suspensions in terms of anti-diabetic activity, which lasted up to 24 ​h. Overall; the newly synthesized amphiphilic CMGG nanocarriers demonstrated controlled drug release properties and showed promise for controlling type-2 diabetes.