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Pullulan: an exopolysaccharide and its various applications.
Vipul D Prajapati1, Girish K Jani, Simin M Khanda
1Department of Pharmaceutics, SSR College of Pharmacy, Saily-Silvassa Road, Saily, Silvassa, U.T. of Dadra and Nagar Haveli 396230, India. vippra2000@yahoo.com
Carbohydrate Polymers
|April 27, 2013
Summary
Pullulan, a polysaccharide from Aureobasidium pullulans, is a safe biomaterial. Its unique properties enable diverse biomedical applications, including drug delivery and tissue engineering.
Area of Science:
- Biopolymer science
- Biomaterials engineering
- Microbial biotechnology
Background:
- Pullulan is a non-ionic polysaccharide produced by fermentation of the black yeast Aureobasidium pullulans.
- It is widely utilized in the food and pharmaceutical sectors due to its distinct characteristics.
Observation:
- Pullulan exhibits non-toxic, non-immunogenic, non-carcinogenic, and non-mutagenic properties.
- Its unique α (1→4) and α (1→6) linkages provide adhesive capabilities and fiber-forming potential.
Findings:
- Pullulan is being investigated for advanced biomedical uses such as gene delivery, targeted drug therapy, tissue engineering, and wound healing.
- It also finds application in diagnostic imaging, including perfusion, receptor-specific, lymph node-specific, and vascular compartment imaging.
Implications:
- The review highlights pullulan's historical development, properties, production methods, and derivatives.
- It emphasizes the versatile applicability and recent advancements of pullulan in various scientific and industrial fields.
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