%0 Journal Article %T CHITOSAN: A BIOCOMPATIBLE POLYMER FOR PHARMACEUTICAL APPLICATIONS IN VARIOUS DOSAGE FORMS %A Pesaramelli Karteek* %J International Journal of Pharmacy and Technology %D 2010 %I IJPT %X Chitosan is a weak cationic polysaccharide composed essentially of ¦Â(1¡ú4) linked glucose amine units together with some acetyl glucose amine units. It is obtained by extensive deacetylation of chitin,a polysaccharide common in nature. Chitosan is biocompatible, biodegradable, and non toxic natural polymer that exhibits excellent film forming ability. As a result of its cationic character, chitosan is able to react with polyanions giving rise to polyelectrolyte complexes. Therefore, because of these interesting properties, it has become the subject of numerous scientific reports and patents on thepreparation of micro spheres and microcapsules. The techniques employed to microencapsulate with chitoson include, among others, ionotropic gelation, spray drying, emulsion phase separation, simpleand complex coacervation, and polymerization of vinyl monomer in the presence of chitosan. The aim of the work is to review some of the more common techniques used and to put forward the results obtained in preparing chitosan-based microcapsules: for taste masking and improving the stability of nutritional oil, the sustained release of drugs, as well as the preparation of chitosan super paramagneticmicrocapsules for immobilization of enzymes. %K Chitosan %K Drug delivery %K Hydro gel %K Micro encapsulation. %U http://www.ijptonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/186-205.pdf