Chitosan-derivatives in combinations with selected porphyrinoids as novel hybrid materials for medicine and pharmacy

Chitosan and its derivatives are renewable biopolymers characterized by high biocompatibility; therefore, they are harmless to humans and allow immune tolerance and improved hydrophilicity. Moreover, chitosan has been the most studied of all polysaccharides used in biomedical applications during the last decade. Combinations of chitosan and porphyrinoid compounds in hybrid materials have revealed many potential applications for biomedical sciences. The main advantage of such materials is an increase in the solubility of porphyrinoids in body fluids and therefore greater release of singlet oxygen to the treated tissue. Chitosan-based drug delivery systems can improve the targeting of porphyrinoids and their release at predetermined locations and finally achieve desired therapeutic effects with minimal side effects. Hence, porphyrinoid-chitosan materials can be applied in drug delivery systems, cancer theranostics and magnetic resonance imaging. The combination of chitosan and porphyrinoids also appears useful in the healing and repairing of damaged organs, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, as well as dressing materials. Huge benefits are related to the treatment of wounds, which has been presented for self-healing hydrogels based on chitosan and porphyrinoids. Furthermore, the chitosan/porphyrinoid combinations have revealed enormous benefits for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy.