Chitin nanofibril is a new natural raw material obtained from purification of chitin, produced from the crustacean and fishery waste. It is a crystalline polysaccharide capable of interacting with enzymes, platelets, and other cell compounds present in living human tissue. From the first progress studies, it seems that chitin nanofibril helps to maintain cutaneous homeostasis and neutralize the activity of free radicals, and represents a natural carrier that favors the transcutaneous penetration of many active principles.
Contents
Dimensions and characteristics
Chitin nanofibrils, as nanocrystals, represent the pure and sugary molecular portion of alpha-chitin obtained after the elimination of the protein portion. Since they are easily metabolised by our body using endogenous enzymes, they are used in the cosmetic as well as in biomedical sectors.
These crystals are called nano due to their average size of 240×7×5 nanometers (nm), and fibrils because of their shape as thin needles.The type of crystallinity with its strong inter molecular hydroperoxide binding determines the structure and morphology of Chitin Nanofibrils (22). Moreover, they are natural because present in nature and safe to use because, being recognized by enzymes, they are bio and eco-compatible. These nanofibrils' average size being one-fourth of a bacterium, 1 gram of product develops a surface of 400mt. Its medium weight is evaluated to be equal to 0.074x106 ng and water up take achieves of about 400 wt%.(21)
Physio-chemical behavior
The extremely small size of these nanocrystals, separated from each other and bound with water, and their mostly electropositive relative electric charges arranged along the axis of the molecule, allows this polysaccharide to remain stably suspended in water solutions, ready to bind with other molecules via ionic bonding. Every year about 154 billion of fishery and crustacean processing are transformed into Chitin,Chitosan and oligosacchariides producing a waste of 30 milio/tons. The recycling and reuse of this material using green technologies will contribute to the reduction of worldwide pollution and saving the biodiversity of the earth (21)
Chitin nanofibrils in skin treatment
Therefore, given the particular chemical structure similar to hyaluronic acid, chitin nanofibril is easily metabolized from human enzymes and,as posively charged polymer,tends to combine itself with many negatively charged polymers entrapping active components normally used in cosmetics, both hydro or liposoluble. Naturally, the type of compounds chitin nanofibril forms with antioxidants such as lutein, melatonin, lipoic acid, or with immune modulators as ectoin or beta-glucan, depends on the environment in which it reacts and consequently on the intermolecular bonds it establishes with the various compounds.
However, of fundamental importance is the carrier (nanoparticle or lamellae) in which these compounds are inserted and which influences their thermodynamic activity and the consequent interaction with the skin.
Biodegradability
Chitin nanofibrils, as with all its derivatives even if transformed into material, are hydrolyzed to oligomers by hydrolytic enzymes as lisozyme, N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase and the lipases. In this reductive process even nitric oxide (NO) can play a role. Also, these oligomers further reduced to N-glucosamine and to glucose can be incorporated into glycoproteins or eliminated as carbon dioxide. It is interesting, however, to point out how all the chitin-oligomers can act as founding for the synthesis of hyaluronic acid.
Chitin nanofibril is a new natural raw material obtained from crab and shrimp shells. It is a crystalline polysaccharide capable of interacting with enzymes, platelets, and other cell compounds present in living human tissue. From the first progress studies, it seems that chitin nanofibril helps to maintain cutaneous homeostasis and neutralize the activity of free radicals, and represents a natural carrier that favors the transcutaneous penetration of many active principles.
Dimensions and characteristics
Chitin nanofibrils, as nanocrystals, represent the pure and sugary molecular portion of alpha-chitin obtained after the elimination of the protein portion. Since they are easily metabolised by our body using endogenous enzymes, they are used in the cosmetic as well as in biomedical sectors.
These crystals are called nano due to their average size of 240×7×5 nanometers (nm), and fibrils because of their shape as thin needles. Moreover, they are natural because present in nature and safe to use because, being recognized by enzymes, they are bio and eco-compatible. These nanofibrils' average size being one-fourth of a bacterium, 1 gram of product develops a surface of 400mt.
Physio-chemical behavior
The extremely small size of these nanocrystals, separated from each other and bound with water, and their mostly electropositive relative electric charges arranged along the axis of the molecule, allows this polysaccharide to remain stably suspended in water solutions, ready to bind with other molecules via ionic bonding.
Chitin nanofibrils in skin treatment
Therefore, given the particular chemical structure similar to hyaluronic acid, chitin nanofibrils tends to combine with many active components normally used in cosmetics, both hydro or liposoluble. Naturally, the type of compounds chitin nanofibrils forms with antioxidants such as lutein, melatonin, lipoic acid, or with immune modulators as ectoin or beta-glucan, depends on the environment in which it reacts and consequently on the intermolecular bonds it establishes with the various molecules. it is interesting underline the capacity these nanocrystals, prevalently covered by positive charges, have to form block copolymeric nanoparticles with many electronegative polymers,with the possibility to entrap active ingredients[ Morganti,P,Del Ciotto,P, Fabrizi G, Guarneri F et all (2013).Safety and Tolerability of zchitin Nanofibrils-Hyaluronic acid Nanoparticles Entrapping Lutein. Note I : Nanoparticles Characterization,Bioavailability and Biodegradability. SOFW-Journal 139(1/2):12-23; Morganti P, Di Massimo G, Cimini C and Del Ciotto P(2013). Characterization of Chitin Nanofibril-Hyaluronan Block Polymer. Personal Care 6(9):61-66
However, of fundamental importance is the carrier ([nanoparticle.] or lamellae) in which these compounds are inserted and which influences their thermodynamic activity and the consequent interaction with skin.
Biodegradability
Metabolism of Chitin in nature is controlled by enzymatic systems, which produce and break down its molecule by Chitin synthases and chitinases, Thus, Chitin and Chitosan are easily degrade not only by enzymes such as lysozyme, N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase and lipases, but also by chitotrisidase (HCHT) belonging to 18 family of chitinases secreted by humans (22,23). This specific enzymatic family degrades Chitin and Chitosan primarily via the endo-processi e mechanism showing an absolute preference for acetyl aged polymers compared with the deacetylated ones because of a relative week preference for an acetylated unit in the -2, -1, and +1 su sites,respectively. Thus, Chitin Nanofibrils (CN) are easily degrades because of higher content of acetylated glucosamine groups in comparison to Chitosan, resulting in enhancing the production of Hyaluronan, and glycosaminoglycans which are the fundamental components of the extracellular matrix (ECM)(22). In this reductive process even nitric oxide (NO) can play a role. Also, these oligomers further reduced to N-glucosamine and to glucose can be incorporated into glycoproteins or eliminated as carbon dioxide. It is interesting, however, to point out how all the chitin-oligomers can act as founding for the synthesis of hyaluronic acid.