Xylan from corn cobs, a promising polymer for drug delivery: Production and characterization

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 101; no. 14; pp. 5402 - 5406
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Elquio Eleamen, Silva, Acarília Eduardo, Júnior, Toshiyuki Nagashima, Gomes, Monique Christine Salgado, Aguiar, Larissa Muratori, Marcelino, Henrique Rodrigues, Araújo, Ivonete Batista, Bayer, Marc P., Ricardo, Nágila M.P.S., Oliveira, Anselmo Gomes, Egito, Eryvaldo Sócrates Tabosa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2010; [New York, NY]: Elsevier Ltd; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biopolymer; Bioresource; Biotechnology - methods; Drug Carriers; Drug Delivery Systems; Flow properties; Fourier transform infrared; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - methods; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning - methods; Mutagens; Particle Size; Polymers; Powders; Rheology - methods; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared - methods; Technology, Pharmaceutical - methods; Use of agricultural and forest wastes. Biomass use, bioconversion; Xylan; Xylans - chemistry; Zea mays - chemistry; Xylan; Flow properties; Bioresource; Fourier transform infrared; Biopolymer; Fourier transformation; Natural biological resources; Corn cob; Polymer; Renewable resources
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2010.01.137

Although many authors have reported several beneficial effects ascribed to xylan, such as inhibitory action on mutagenicity activity, antiphlogistic effects, and mitogenic and comitogenic activities, few papers have investigated a systematic study on the technological properties of this polymer. The aim of the present work was to evaluate xylan as a promise raw material for the pharmaceutical industry. The water-insoluble xylan samples were extracted from corn cobs following several steps. The obtained powered sample was analyzed by infrared and RMN spectroscopy, and characterized regarding their particle size, bulk and tap densities, compressibility index, compactability, Hausner ratio, and angle of repose. According to the results, infrared and RMN spectroscopy were shown to be able to evaluate the xylan structural conformation and composition, respectively. In addition, rheological data demonstrated that xylan powder obtained from corn cobs may be characterized as a material with low density and very cohesive flow properties.