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Published on: April 13, 2022
Synthesis of a novel amphiphilic quaternized chitosan and its distribution in rats
Xiaofei Liu1, Anrong Zeng, Lin Li
1a Department of Polymer Materials Science and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China.
Abstract:
A novel amphiphilic chitosan derivative, N-[(2-hydroxy-3-N,N-dimethylhexadecyl ammonium)propyl]chitosan chloride (N-CQCs), was prepared with a degree of substitution (DS) of 15.58%. N-CQCs was positively charged and its zeta potential was +28.4 mV. The introduction of a long carbon chain with a quaternary ammonium salt group into the chitosan backbone enabled N-CQCs to be lipotropic and hydrophilic. According to the hypothesis of the hypocholesterolemic effect of N-CQCs, its organ distribution in rats was investigated 48 h after administration via gavage using fluorescein isothiocyanate labeling. N-CQCs showed lower cytotoxicity. The plasma half-life of N-CQCs in rats was 48 h and the plasma AUC0-48 h (P) was 371.70 μg/ml per h, suggesting that N-CQCs remained in body for a long time. The results also showed that the accumulation in adipose tissue and gastrointestinal tract was higher than in thymus, kidney, liver and spleen at 48 h after administration. It could be presumed that N-CQCs play an important part in the metabolic process of body fat. Adipose tissue and gastrointestinal tract were the probable interaction sites of N-CQCs and body fat.
