Abstract

ISOLATION, CHARACTERISATION AND EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT AND IN-VITRO ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF CHITIN AND CHITOSAN FROM CARAPACE OF CULTURED PENAEUS MONODON SPECIES

Shabna Roupal Morais* D.Manasa, Divyasree Medikonda, Dr K.Chitra

Abstract

Exploration of the sea and its organisms is still at a relatively early stage. Although the oceans contain much greater biodiversity, identifying of new biological activities have hardly begun. Chitin and Chitosan are proteinaceous substances that can be isolated from the marine sources like crustaceans. In the present study Chitin & Chitosan have been isolated from the carapace of the cultured Penaeus monodon species. Chitin is a non-toxic, biodegradable polymer of high molecular weight and a modified polysaccharide that contains nitrogen. Chitosan is deacetylated chitin, a hydrophillic biopolymer, naturally occurring, non-toxic, biodegradable polysaccharide. The goal of the present study is to isolate Chitin and Chitosan from the eco-waste of the cultured species of Penaeus monodon and to further study its antioxidant and in-vitro anticancer activity. Chitin and Chitosan are used as nutritional supplements in the market. Hence this study identifies opportunities to develop value added products from crustacean processing by-products with different biological activity.

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