摘要

The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant activity of high molecular weight chitosan based films. Three of water-soluble quaternized chitosans with high molecular weight, namely N-(2-hydroxyl) propyl-3-trimethyl ammonium chitosan chloride (400-HTCC and 1240-HTCC), N-(2-hydroxyl) propy1-3-triethyl ammonium chitosan chloride (400-HTEC and 1240-HTEC), and O-(2-hydroxyl) propyl-3- trimethyl ammonium chitosan chloride (400-O-HTCC) were prepared from high molecular weight chitosans (400 and 1240 kDa). The in vitro antioxidant activity of a high molecular weight chitosan (1240-CS) and five quaternized chitosans was evaluated and compared as radical scavengers against 1,1-dipheny1-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH.), hydroxyl radical (.OH), and superoxide radical (.O-2(-)) using established methods, and the effect of the molecular weight, the concentration, the newly generated hydroxyl group, the extra introduced positive charge of quaternary ammonium salt group, etc., on the antioxidant activity of these high molecular weight chitosans is discussed. The data obtained in vitro models exhibited good antioxidant potency and suggested the possibility that high molecular weight chitosan based films could be effectively employed as natural antioxidant materials for application in the field of food and medicine.