Applications of Polysaccharides in Biomedicine and Agriculture

Dear Colleagues,

Polysaccharides are widely used in several technological fields, including biomedical applications (such as drug delivery systems) and agriculture (as soil conditioners, nutrient carriers, and more recently as seed coatings for crop protection). The biomedical applications arise from the polysaccharides’ biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low toxicity, characteristics that make them excellent natural carriers for drug encapsulation, enabling controlled and site-specific release, enhancing treatment efficacy, and reducing side effects. This is in convergence with UN-SDG #3, #12, and #15 (mainly).

In agriculture, the use of polysaccharide-based hydrogels as soil conditioners and nutrient carriers has increased due to their low toxicity, biodegradability, and ability to promote controlled release of water and plant nutrients. In addition, electrospun fiber mats have emerged as highly promising materials for agricultural applications—including sensors for pesticide detection, protective clothing for farm workers, and the encapsulation of biocontrol agents or agrochemical compounds—thanks to their high surface-to-volume ratio, high porosity, and tunable release rate. These aspects are in convergence with UN-SDG #2, #6, and #12 (mainly).

Common polysaccharides such as chitin/chitosan, hyaluronic acid, dextran, and others have been used as natural or chemically modified ones to form drug-loaded nanoparticles, hydrogels, electrospun fiber mats, or implants designed for different administration routes.

This Special Issue will address various recent and advanced aspects of the following:

1. Polysaccharides for drug delivery, including the synthesis of polysaccharide-based materials and functional composites, as well as the biological, physiological, and pharmacological aspects of oligo- and polysaccharides;
2. Polysaccharide-based matrices for agricultural applications (such as hydrogels or electrospun fibers).

Dr. Artur Valente
Prof. Dr. Edvani C. Muniz
Guest Editors

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