Bioactive chitosan-citral Schiff base zinc complex: A pH-responsive platform for potential therapeutic applications

Int J Biol Macromol. 2024 Mar;261(Pt 2):129857. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129857. Epub 2024 Feb 1.

Abstract

The application of CO2 supercritical fluid (SCF) technology has developed rapidly because of its non-toxic, environmentally friendly, mild reaction conditions and safety. The SCF technology can effectively speed up the reaction process of nano-material synthesis, and maintains a high degree of controllability and repeatability. This study mainly included carboxymethyl chitosan sodium salt (CCS), citral (CT), p-coumaric acid (CA), and ZnSO4 as raw materials to prepare CCS-CT-CA-Zn complex as a pH-responsive agent and was investigated using supercritical fluid technique. The coordination structure of Bridge-CCS-CT-CH3COO-CA-Zn-Schiff base/OH and the morphology of the complex agents were verified. The prepared CCS-CT-CA-Zn complex showed good dispersion and uniformity (mean size: 852 ± 202 nm, PdI: 0.301, and mean zeta potential: -31 ± 6 mV). Also, it has a good pH responsive release in an acid environment. Besides, both of CCS-CT-CA-Zn complex (DS-B) and its decomposed mixture in acid (DS-A) demonstrated significant antioxidant and anti-vibrio activity. Moreover, both DS-B complex and DS-A mixture inhibited biofilm formation, swimming, and swarming motilities of V. parahaemolyticus in a dose-dependent manner. This work will provide a scientific basis for the further design and development of natural products derived antibacterial-antioxidant complex agents, food additives and feed additives.

Keywords: Antibacterial-antioxidant; Chitosan-citral composite; Schiff base zinc complex; Supercritical fluid; pH-responsive agent.

MeSH terms

  • Acyclic Monoterpenes*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Chitosan* / chemistry
  • Chitosan* / pharmacology
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Schiff Bases / chemistry
  • Schiff Bases / pharmacology
  • Zinc / chemistry

Substances

  • citral
  • Chitosan
  • Zinc
  • Schiff Bases
  • Antioxidants
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Acyclic Monoterpenes