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Content archived on 2024-05-29

New chitosan formulations for the prevention and treatment of diseases and dysfunctions of the digestive tract (Hypercholesterolemia, overweight, ulcerative colitis and celiac disease (CHITOSANPEROS)

Objective

At present, chitosan tablets are commercially available as over-the-counter dietary supplements for hypercholesterolemia and overweight Nevertheless, their formulation is primitive because the chitosan used is not in the most suitable physical and biochemi cal form. Thus the consumers are forced to take large daily doses, and face exceedingly high costs and poor results. Moreover for celiac disease, no dietary food incorporating chitosan exists. This kind of patients have to use expensive gluten-free dietary foods instead of bread and pasta, with economical, nutritional and psychological distress: all these inconveniences could be removed by a proper incorporation of chitosan. Finally it is likely (but not yet investigated) that colitis patients might have be nefits from chitosan intake, should chitosan be developed into a carrier for colitis-specific drugs. This proposal intends to develop new chitosan physical forms and formulations useful for the prevention and treatment of said widely occurring diseases an d dysfunctions of the digestive system, that eventually develop into serious chronic diseases (hart diseases, obesity, diabetes, malabsorption, Crohn disease) that constitute heavy social burdens. The rationale is that chitosan has to be put into amorphous form, increasing its surface area, porosity, solubility and compressibility: in this way tabletting becomes feasible without the use of binders and higher efficacy is obtained; moreover, the total weight of a tablet is much lower. This will be achieved by spray-drying, freeze-drying and other techniques available in the food industry, involving most recent advances in the chemistry of alkaline chitosan solutions. Assessments will include instrumental analytical chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology and org anoleptic evaluations. As for celiac disease, the rationale resides in the capacity of chitosan to sequester the toxic gliadin fraction responsible for intolerance. Pasta and bakery products containing minor quantities of chitosan would expectedly make the se common foods accessible to celiac patients. Assessments will include analytical chemistry and organoleptic evaluations. Among the final deliveries are the following: a) novel instant soluble, highly effective chitosan formulations; b) very innovative d ietary foods for celiac patients; c) scientifically based description of the oral delivery of chitosan; d) quality standards for chitosan to be used as a dietary supplement; e) dru carriers for aminosalic lic acid; scientificall sound informative material for the consumer.

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Keywords

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Topic(s)

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Call for proposal

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FP6-2002-SME-1
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Funding Scheme

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Cooperative - SMEs-Co-operative research contracts

Coordinator

OLIGOPHARM CO LTD
EU contribution
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Address
Agronomicheskaya Str. 134
NIZHNI NOVGOROD
Russia

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Total cost

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Participants (7)

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