Reactive oxygen species scavenging activity of aminoderivatized chitosan with different degree of deacetylation

Chitosans with different degree of deacetylation were prepared from crab shell chitin in the presence of alkali. Aminoderivatized chitosan derivatives were prepared in addition of amino functional groups at a hydroxyl site in the chitosan backbone. Six kinds of aminoderivatized chitosan such as aminoethyl-chitosan (AEC90), dimethylaminoethyl-chitosan (DMAEC90), and diethylaminoethyl-chitosan (DEAEC90), which were prepared from 90% deacetylated chitosan, and AEC50, DMAEC50 and DEAEC50, which were prepared from 50% deacetylated chitosan, were prepared and their reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activities were investigated against hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical and hydrogen peroxide. The electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrum revealed that AEC90 showed the highest scavenging effects against hydroxyl and superoxide anion radical, the effects were 91.67% and 65.34% at 0.25 and 5 mg/mL, respectively. For hydrogen peroxide scavenging effect, DEAEC90 exhibited the strongest activity. These results suggest that the scavenging effect depends on their degree of deacetylation and substituted group.