CoaSan: Utilization of Chitosan Isolated from Trametes sp. (Bracket fungi) as Potential Blood Coagulation Agent

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Achneck (2010) emphasized that in a great number of hemostatic agents applied in different field of medicine, hemostatic materials based on chitosan are the most effective in stemming acute hemorrhages, especially severe ones, and are of the first order significant in military and emergency medicine. Crustaceous shells are the main source of chitosan; however, mushrooms and fungi are also an elective hotspot for chitosan. This study aimed to determine the blood coagulation activity of chitosan isolated from Trametes sp. (Bracket fungi).

METHODS

The isolation of chitosan from Bracket fungi was carried out using alkaline and acid treatment. It was placed in a rotary evaporator at 60 for two hours. Concentrated isolate underwent evaporation using a water bath to be in a semi-solid state. Each level (0.5 g/mL, 1.0 g/mL, and1.5 g/mL) of chitosan was dissolved in 100 mL of distilled water. On each vial, 0.2 mL of distilled water was put to serve as the negative control. In all set-ups, 0.2 mL of blood from male albino mice was introduced, one at a time. Two replicates were made for each set-up. The data were recorded and analyzed using One Way ANOVA.

RESULTS

Chitosan solutions exhibited an increasing blood coagulation time with the increasing concentration. Since the computed p-value (.005974) of the data gathered is less than the level of significance (.05) then the null hypothesis was rejected. Therefore, there was a significant difference between the blood coagulation time for the different concentrations of chitosan solution from Bracket Fungi and blood suspended in distilled water. It was verified since the 1.5 mL of isolated chitosan solution was significantly higher than the other set-ups (4.43 seconds). Meanwhile, the 0.5 mL of chitosan solution exhibited the slowest blood coagulation time (17.68 seconds). The results of this research study revealed that chitosan isolated from Bracket fungi can induce blood coagulation. The higher the concentration of chitosan solution, the faster the time of blood coagulation.

DISCUSSIONS

Keller, F. S. et al (2010) cited that the widely spread poly-positive charges of the NH3+ groups on the surface promote quick blood clotting due to the strong interaction with the poly-negative charges on the surface of platelets and red blood cells. The present findings of this study are useful for the future development of novel-chitosan based hemostatic devices and medicines. It is recommended to use the isolated chitosan from Bracket Fungi as a coagulation agent.