El quitosano, también llamado chitosán (del griego χιτών "coraza"), es un polisacárido lineal compuesto de cadenas distribuidas aleatoriamente de β-(1-4) D-glucosamina (unidades deacetiladas) y N-acetil-D-glucosamina (unidad acetilatada). Esta sustancia se descubrió en el año 1859. Se puede usar en agricultura como fungicida y en la industria vitivinícola para evitar el deterioro del vino. En medicina se usa a veces como añadido en vendajes para reducir el sangrado y disminuir la cantidad de infecciones.

Leer el artículo completo en Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA

Chitosan /ˈkaɪtəsæn/ is a linear polysaccharide composed of randomly distributed β-(1-4)-linked D-glucosamine (deacetylated unit) and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (acetylated unit). It is made by treating the chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans with an alkaline substance, like sodium hydroxide. Chitosan has a number of commercial and possible biomedical uses. It can be used in agriculture as a seed treatment and biopesticide, helping plants to fight off fungal infections. In winemaking it can be used as a fining agent, also helping to prevent spoilage. In industry, it can be used in a self-healing polyurethane paint coating. In medicine, it may be useful in bandages to reduce bleeding and as an antibacterial agent; it can also be used to help deliver drugs through the skin. More controversially, chitosan has been asserted to have use in limiting fat absorption, which would make it useful for dieting, but there is evidence against this. Other uses of chitosan that have been researched include use as a soluble dietary fiber.

Leer el artículo completo en Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA