SYNTHESIS OF WATER SOLUBLE CROSSLINKED N- ACYL DERIVATIVE OF CHITOSAN AND ITS ASSESSMENT FOR ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES IN VITRO

Currently, natural polysaccharides are being utilized increasingly in the markets because they exhibit biodegradability, biocompatibility, versatility, and are found abundant in nature. Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide that possesses excellent biological properties. It has been recognized for its antibacterial activity, in that it is destructive towards the bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The major problem associated for its use in formulation is its water insolubility. This research entails the chemical modification of chitosan with N-acylation and crosslinking using substituted benzoyl chloride to enhance its solubility and antimicrobial properties. The derivative also shoe antifungal activity against Candida species. It is believed that these types of hydrophilic derivatives shows better bioadhesion and inhibit the growth of bacteria by initial electrostatic interactions with negatively charged groups of the bacterial cell surface. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the water soluble N-acyl crosslinked chitosan were investigated using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method. Substituted benzoyl chloride derivative of chitosan exhibited a MIC of 45 μg/mL against Escherichia coli and 60 μg/mL against Candida albicans.