Inulin-based glycopolymer: its preparation, lectin-affinity and gellation property

The glycopolymer composed of an inulin scaffold and pendent β-lactosides was developed from commercially available inulin through sequential chemical modification processes composed of tosylation, azidation, and the subsequent Huisgen cyclocoupling with an alkyne-terminated β-lactoside. The resultant inulin-based glycopolymer has unique dual affinity towards β-galactoside and α-glucoside specific lectins which is attributable to its pendent β-lactosides and terminal α-glucoside. Its gellation property was also accessed to find that the inulin-based glycopolymer forms hydrogels whose critical gellation concentration (CGC) was lower than that required for hydrogels made from native inulin. Drug release properties of the inulin-based glycopolymer were also discussed in this paper.