Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (583 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A linear polysaccharide of beta-1->4 linked units of acetylglucosamine. It is the second most abundant biopolymer on earth, found especially in insects and fungi. When deacetylated it is called chitosan.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Biopolymers; Polysaccharides
- Narrower topics
- Chitosan
Related concepts
- Acetylglucosamine
- Insects
- Fungi
- Chitosan
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 45,377 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Chitin” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 20,734 of them (45.7%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2020 onward with 20,734 records.
Reviews account for 2,322 records (5.1%) and meta-analyses for 29. Randomized controlled trials number 191 (0.4%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 1,167 |
| 2000-2009 | 5,995 |
| 2010-2019 | 17,481 |
| 2020 onward | 20,734 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 2,322 | 5.1% |
| Meta-analyses | 29 | 0.1% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 191 | 0.4% |
Method: PubMed query "Chitin"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in drugs and chemicals
Studies of a chemical or drug can answer very different questions: what it is and how it behaves in cells and animals, how the body handles it, and whether it changes outcomes in people. Laboratory and animal findings often do not carry over to patients, and observational studies of exposures are confounded by who uses a substance and why. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to use, avoid, start or stop any substance or medicine; talk to a qualified clinician or pharmacist about your own situation. Check the dose, the species, the comparison group and whether a patient-relevant outcome was measured.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recent Applications of Chitosan-Based Biomaterials as Wound Dressings | 2026 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 9 | cc by PMID 41751771 · DOI · PMC12941076 |
| Dental Resin Composites Modified with Chitosan: A Systematic Review | 2025 | Systematic review Design not recorded in structured metadata | 9 | cc by PMID 40422789 · DOI · PMC12113295 |
| Antimicrobial Composite Films Based on Alginate-Chitosan with Honey, Propolis, Royal Jelly and Green-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles | 2025 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 8 | cc by PMID 40725056 · DOI · PMC12295747 |
Recent Applications of Chitosan-Based Biomaterials as Wound Dressings [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Chitosan is a natural biopolymer for advanced wound healing due to its antimicrobial activity, biocompatibility, and hemostatic properties.
- Closing excerpt
- However, overcoming challenges associated with material diversity and establishing standardized manufacturing processes and clinical trials remain critical for successful commercialization.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (167 words)
Chitosan is a natural biopolymer for advanced wound healing due to its antimicrobial activity, biocompatibility, and hemostatic properties. However, its clinical utility is limited by its low solubility and poor mechanical properties. This review summarizes recent strategies that have successfully overcome these shortcomings, focusing on the development of multifunctional chitosan hybrid dressings. These dressings, which include hydrogels, hydrocolloids, films, sponges, and scaffolds, are now being fabricated using advanced systems like electrospinning, 3D printing, microneedle (MN), and nanocomposites technologies to maximize wound healing efficacy. Specifically, modification techniques used to overcome chitosan's shortcomings include: (1) chemical derivatization to enhance solubility, (2) polymer hybridization with natural and synthetic materials to enhance mechanical properties, and (3) functionalization with active ingredients. These materials, including metal/inorganic nanoparticles, natural compounds, and amino acids, are added to maximize therapeutic efficacy. In conclusion, chitosan hybrid materials and dressings provide an excellent foundation for next-generation wound dressings. However, overcoming challenges associated with material diversity and establishing standardized manufacturing processes and clinical trials remain critical for successful commercialization.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41751771 · DOI · PMC12941076
Dental Resin Composites Modified with Chitosan: A Systematic Review [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- ObjectiveThis systematic review aims to evaluate the impact of incorporating chitosan into dental resin composites on their mechanical, antibacterial, and physicochemical properties.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings suggest a need for standardized methodologies and further research on long-term clinical implications and fluoride release.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (225 words)
ObjectiveThis systematic review aims to evaluate the impact of incorporating chitosan into dental resin composites on their mechanical, antibacterial, and physicochemical properties.MethodsA comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was conducted in March 2025 using the following keywords: resin, composite, and chitosan. The inclusion criteria comprised in vitro studies in dentistry evaluating chitosan as a composite additive with full-text availability in English. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by multiple reviewers using standardized tools, and study quality was assessed based on predefined criteria.ResultsSeventeen studies met the inclusion criteria. Chitosan concentrations in the composites ranged from 0.25 wt% to 20 wt%. Antibacterial activity was confirmed in six studies, especially against S. mutans, S. sanguinis, and L. acidophilus. Mechanical properties such as fracture toughness, hardness, and compressive strength were generally improved at lower concentrations of chitosan. However, increased chitosan levels were associated with decreased flexural strength and increased microleakage. Shear bond strength (SBS) was unaffected by chitosan in low concentrations (up to 0.25%), while higher concentrations reduced SBS. Fluoride release capacity was assessed in one study, with no significant differences observed.ConclusionChitosan-modified dental resin composites exhibit promising antibacterial and mechanical enhancements at low concentrations. However, higher chitosan levels may compromise certain mechanical and adhesive properties. These findings suggest a need for standardized methodologies and further research on long-term clinical implications and fluoride release.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40422789 · DOI · PMC12113295
Antimicrobial Composite Films Based on Alginate-Chitosan with Honey, Propolis, Royal Jelly and Green-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Honey, propolis or royal jelly are considered natural remedies with therapeutic properties since antiquity.
- Closing excerpt
- Additionally, cytotoxicity assays were performed to evaluate the biocompatibility of the materials, the results indicating that the combination of honey, propolis, royal jelly and AgNPs does not produce synergistic toxicity.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (191 words)
Honey, propolis or royal jelly are considered natural remedies with therapeutic properties since antiquity. Many papers explore the development of antimicrobial biomaterials based on individual bee products, but there is a lack of studies on their synergistic effects. Combining honey, propolis and royal jelly with silver nanoparticles in a biopolymer matrix offers a synergistic strategy to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. This approach supports progress in wound healing, soft tissue engineering and other domains where elimination of the microorganisms is needed like food packaging. In this study we have obtained antimicrobial films based on bee products and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) incorporated in an alginate-chitosan blend. The novel biomaterials were analyzed by UV-Vis, fluorescence and FTIR spectroscopy or microscopy, SEM and thermal analysis. Antibacterial tests were conducted against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, while the antifungal properties were tested against Candida albicans. The diameters for growth inhibition zones were up to 10 mm for bacterial strains and 8 mm for the fungal strain. Additionally, cytotoxicity assays were performed to evaluate the biocompatibility of the materials, the results indicating that the combination of honey, propolis, royal jelly and AgNPs does not produce synergistic toxicity.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40725056 · DOI · PMC12295747
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Chitosan, alginate, hyaluronic acid and other novel multifunctional hydrogel dressings for wound healing: A review [4]
- Research article Chitosan-based self-healing hydrogel dressing for wound healing [5]
- Research article Chitosan-based hydrogel wound dressing: From mechanism to applications, a review [6]
- Research article Factors influencing the antimicrobial mechanism of chitosan action and its derivatives: A review [7]
- Research article Chitosan scaffolds: Expanding horizons in biomedical applications [8]
- Research article Chitosan-Based Hydrogels as Antibacterial/Antioxidant/Anti-Inflammation Multifunctional Dressings for Chronic Wound Healing [9]
References
- Jin SG. Recent Applications of Chitosan-Based Biomaterials as Wound Dressings. . 2026. PMID 41751771 · DOI · PMC12941076
- Dobrzyński W, Piszko PJ, Kiryk J, Kiryk S, Michalak M, Kotela A, et al.. Dental Resin Composites Modified with Chitosan: A Systematic Review. . 2025. PMID 40422789 · DOI · PMC12113295
- Dumitru CD, Ilie CI, Neacsu IA, Motelica L, Oprea OC, Ripszky A, et al.. Antimicrobial Composite Films Based on Alginate-Chitosan with Honey, Propolis, Royal Jelly and Green-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles. . 2025. PMID 40725056 · DOI · PMC12295747
- Yuan N, Shao K, Huang S, Chen C. Chitosan, alginate, hyaluronic acid and other novel multifunctional hydrogel dressings for wound healing: A review. Int J Biol Macromol. 2023. PMID 37019198 · DOI
- Zhang X, Liang Y, Huang S, Guo B. Chitosan-based self-healing hydrogel dressing for wound healing. Adv Colloid Interface Sci. 2024. PMID 39121832 · DOI
- Zhao J, Qiu P, Wang Y, Wang Y, Zhou J, Zhang B, et al.. Chitosan-based hydrogel wound dressing: From mechanism to applications, a review. Int J Biol Macromol. 2023. PMID 37307982 · DOI
- Nasaj M, Chehelgerdi M, Asghari B, Ahmadieh-Yazdi A, Asgari M, Kabiri-Samani S, et al.. Factors influencing the antimicrobial mechanism of chitosan action and its derivatives: A review. Int J Biol Macromol. 2024. PMID 39084423 · DOI
- Gholap AD, Rojekar S, Kapare HS, Vishwakarma N, Raikwar S, Garkal A, et al.. Chitosan scaffolds: Expanding horizons in biomedical applications. Carbohydr Polym. 2024. PMID 37940287 · DOI
- Xu J, Chang L, Xiong Y, Peng Q. Chitosan-Based Hydrogels as Antibacterial/Antioxidant/Anti-Inflammation Multifunctional Dressings for Chronic Wound Healing. Adv Healthc Mater. 2024. PMID 39036852 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.