Preparation, physicochemical and pharmaceutical characterization of chitosan from Catharsius molossus residue.

Polypeptide from Catharsius molossus L. is an active ingredient in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. The residue after extraction is harmful to the environment and is also a waste of resources. Chitosan was extracted from C. molossus L. residue with chemical methods and with an improved intermittent heating method. Physicochemical and pharmaceutical characteristics of chitosan from C. molossus L. and shrimp were mainly measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed chitosan from C. molossus L. was superior to commercial medical-grade chitosan from shrimp in the aspects of degree of deacetylation, crystallinity, heavy metal content, viscosity, protein residue, ash content, and in vitro adhesion. In addition, properties of chitosan membrane were studied, including water vapor permeability, light transmittance, enzymatic hydrolysis, swelling behavior, mechanical properties, and SEM images. It was found that the membrane of chitosan from C. molossus L. had better performance. This preliminary result shows chitosan from C. molossus L. is more suitable than shrimp's as a pharmaceutical excipient in colonic adhesive drug delivery system.