Vijay Kumar Thakur (Ph.D.) is a Staff Scientist in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Washington State University, U.S.A. He has published more than 100 research articles, patents and conference proceedings in the field of polymers and materials science and has published ten books and 25 book chapters on the advanced state-of-the-art of polymers/ materials science. He has extensive expertise in the synthesis of polymers (natural/ synthetic), nano materials, nanocomposites, biocomposites, graft copolymers, high performance capacitors and electrochromic materials.Manju Kumari Thakur works in the Department of Chemistry, Himachal Pradesh University, Simla, India.

• Preface xix1 Bioactive Polysaccharides of Vegetable and Microbial Origins: An Overview 1Giuseppina Tommonaro, Annarita Poli, Paola Di Donato, Roberto Abbamondi Gennaro, Ilaria Finore and Barbara Nicolaus1.1 Introduction 11.2 Anticarcinogenic Polysaccharides 31.3 Anti-inflammatory/Immunostimulating Polysaccharides 81.4 Antiviral Polysaccharides 131.5 Antioxidant Polysaccharides 171.6 Other Biotechnological Applications 211.7 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 23Acknowledgments 23Reference 242 Chitosan: An Emanating Polymeric Carrier for Drug Delivery 33Priti Girotra and Shailendra Kumar Singh2.1 Introduction 332.2 Preparation of Chitosan 342.3 Physicochemical Properties of Chitosan 352.4 Biological Activities of Chitosan 362.5 Pharmaceutical Applications of Chitosan 392.6 Functionalization of Chitosan 492.7 Conclusion and Future Perspectives 49Reference 513 Fungi as Sources of Polysaccharides for Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Applications 61Filomena Freitas, Christophe Roca and Maria A. M. Reis3.1 Introduction 613.2 The Fungal Cell 623.3 Polysaccharides Produced by Fungi 693.4 Production and Extraction of Polysaccharides from Fungi 773.5 Fungal Polysaccharides in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications 813.6 Commercial Exploitation of Fungal Polysaccharides in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications 893.7 Conclusion and Future Perspective 91Reference 914 Environmentally Responsive Chitosan-based Nanocarriers (CBNs) 105Ankit Jain and Sanjay K. Jain4.1 Introduction 1054.2 Graft Copolymerized CBNs 1074.3 pH-Sensitive CBNs 1094.4 Thermosensitive CBNs 1114.5 pH-Sensitive and Thermosensitive CBNs 1124.6 pH- and Ionic-Sensitive CBNs 1134.7 Photosensitive CBNs 1144.8 Electrical-Sensitive CBNs 1154.9 Magneto-Responsive CBNs 1154.10 Chemo-Sensitive CBNs 1154.11 Biodegradation of Chitosan and Its Derivatives 1164.12 Toxicity of CBNs 1204.13 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 120References 1205 Biomass Derived and Biomass Inspired Polymers in Pharmaceutical Applications 127Elisavet D. Bartzoka, Claudia Crestini and Heiko Lange5.1 Introduction 1275.2 Biodegradable Polymers in Biomedical Applications – Relevant Aspects 1295.3 Biodegradable Natural Polymers in Pharmaceutical Applications 1335.4 Micro- and Nanocrystalline Natural Polymers and Fibrils – General Regulative Considerations 1755.5 Concluding Remarks and Outlook 176Reference 1776 Modification of Cyclodextrin for Improvement of Complexation and Formulation Properties 205Tapan K. Dash and V. Badireenath KonkimallaAbbreviations 2056.1 Introduction 2066.2 Cyclodextrin and Its Degradation 2066.3 Complexation by CDs and Release 2076.4 Modifications and Scope with Respect to Pharmaceutical Application 2086.5 Concluding Remarks 218Acknowledgements 218Reference 2187 Cellulose-, Ethylene Oxide- and Acrylic-Based Polymers in Assembled Module Technology (Dome Matrix®) 225Camillo Benetti, Paolo Colombo and Tin Wui Wong7.1 Dome MatrixR Technology 2257.2 Polymers for Controlled Drug Release 2287.3 Cellulose Derivatives 2307.4 Acrylic Acid Polymers 2327.5 Polymethacrylates 2347.6 Polyethylene Oxide 2367.7 Conclusions 237Acknowledgments 237Reference 2378 Structured Biodegradable Polymers for Drug Delivery 243Nishi Mody, Udita Agrawal, Rajeev Sharma and S. P. Vyas8.1 Introduction 2438.2 Classification 2498.3 Degradation Processes in Biodegradable Polymers 2548.4 Responsive Stimuli-Sensitive Polymers 2608.5 Conclusion and Future Prospects 271References 2719 Current State of the Potential Use of Chitosan as Pharmaceutical Excipient 275A. Raquel Madureira, Bruno Sarmento and Manuela Pintado9.1 The World of Pharmaceutical Excipients 2759.2 Chitosan 2769.3 Activities Found for Chitosan 2779.4 Properties of Chitosan 2809.5 Applications as a Pharmaceutical Excipient 2829.6 Conclusion 289References 29010 Modification of Gums: Synthesis Techniques and Pharmaceutical Benefits 299Vikas Rana, Sunil Kamboj, Radhika Sharma and Kuldeep Singh10.1 Introduction 29910.2 Synthesis of Modified Gums 30210.3 Characterization 32010.4 Pharmaceutical Applications of Modified Gums 33210.5 Conclusion and Future Prospective 354Reference 35511 Biomaterials for Functional Applications in the Oral Cavity via Contemporary Multidimensional Science 365V. Tamara Perchyonok, Vanessa Reher, Nicolaas Basson and Sias Grobler11.1 Introduction 36511.2 Free Radical Formation, Antioxidants and Relevance in Health 36611.3 Oral Diseases: Oxidative Stress and the Role of Antioxidant Defenses in the Oral Cavity 36911.4 Biomaterials and Intelligent Design of Functional Biomaterials 37111.5 In-Vitro Developments of Free Radical Defense Mechanisms and Drug-Delivery Systems 37211.6 Practical In-Vitro Applications of Chitosan-Based Functional Biomaterial Prototypes in Dentistry 37511.7 Conclusion 398References 39912 Role of Polymers in Ternary Drug Cyclodextrin Complexes 413Renu Chadha, Madhu Bala, Parnika, Kunal Chadha and Maninder Karan12.1 Introduction 41312.2 Cyclodextrins (Cycloamyloses, Cyclomaltoses, Schardinger Dextrins) 41412.3 Role of Biodegradable/Water-Soluble Polymers in Efficacy of Inclusion Complexes 41612.4 Solubility, Dissolution and Bioavailability Enhancement: Case Studies 42312.5 Conclusion 433References 43313 Collagen-Based Materials for Pharmaceutical Applications 439Daniela Pamfil, Manuela Tatiana Nistor and Cornelia Vasile13.1 Introduction 43913.2 Collagen Structure and Its Properties 44013.3 Preparation Methods of Collagen-Based Biomaterials 44313.4 Pharmaceutical Applications of Collagen-Based Products 45013.5 Concluding Remarks and Future Perspectives 462Acknowledgments 468References 46814 Natural Polysaccharides as Pharmaceutical Excipients 483Nazire Deniz Yılmaz, Gülbanu Koyundereli Çılgı and Kenan Yılmaz14.1 Introduction 48314.2 Natural Polysaccharides 48514.3 Conclusion 510Reference 51015 Structure, Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Applications of Biodegradable Polymers 517Mazhar Ul-Islam, Shaukat Khan, Muhammad Wajid Ullah and Joong Kon Park15.1 Introduction 51715.2 History of Polymers 51815.3 Concept of Biodegradability 52215.4 Biodegradable Polymers and Their Classification 52215.5 Biocompatibility of Biodegradable Polymers 52815.6 Biodegradable Polymers in Pharmaceutical Applications 53015.7 Development of Various Biodegradable Polymer Systems for Drug Delivery 53215.8 Future Prospects 535Acknowledgment 536Reference 53616 Preparation and Properties of Biopolymers: A Critical Review 541Selvaraj Mohana Roopan, T. V. Surendra and G. Madhumitha16.1 Introduction 54116.2 Nature of Biopolymers 54316.3 Common Biopolymers 54416.4 Biopolymers in Drug Development 54516.5 Biobased Polymers Production 54816.6 Properties of Biopolymers 551Acknowledgement 553Reference 55317 Engineering Biodegradable Polymers to Control Their Degradation and Optimize Their Use as Delivery and Theranostic Systems 557Ilaria Armentano, Loredana Latterini, Nicoletta Rescignano, Luigi Tarpani, Elena Fortunati and Josè Maria Kenny17.1 Introduction 55717.2 Nanotechnology 55917.3 Nanostructured Biodegradable Polymers 56017.4 Design Strategies for Fluorescent Biodegradable Polymeric Systems 56617.5 Conclusions and Perspectives 570Reference 570Index 577