Advances in characterisation and biological activities of chitosan and chitosan oligosaccharides

Chitosan and chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) have been reported to possess various biomedical properties, including antimicrobial activities, immuno-enhancing effects, and anti-tumour activities. COS have attracted considerable interest due to their physicochemical properties, and potential applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries, especially in cancer therapies. This paper describes the preparation of COS and their physicochemical properties, and modification, which aids understanding of their biological activities. Based on the latest reports, several biological and anti-tumour activities of COS will be discussed. The proposed anti-tumour mechanisms of COS are summarised, to provide comprehensive insights into research on the molecular level. Finally, the potential applications and future development of the biopolymer will be discussed. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.