The Use Of Nano-Polysaccharides In Biomedical Applications

Nano-polysaccharides (NPs) are materials that have been used to sustain the ecological systems without us knowing their importance. In recent years, NPs are being exploited in various applications, such as in the treatment of diseases and the delivery of therapeutics, offering solutions that impact society. Nanocellulose, chitin/chitosan, and starch nanoparticles possess attractive properties for biomedical applications as they are biocompatible, biodegradable, negligible cytotoxicity, abundant surface functional groups that can be utilized for further chemical modifications. This chapter discusses the synthesis, characterization and applications of nano-polysaccharides in medical related applications, such as controlled drug release and gene delivery, bioimaging, biosensor, biocatalyst, antibacterial, and tissue engineering.