This invention relates to polysaccharide fibres having water absorption properties characterised by the incorporation within the fibres of at least one substance having anti-microbial properties, and to wound dressings formed from said fibres. The polysaccharide fibres are preferably formed from alginate or alginate containing additional polysaccharide materials to give additional absorbency (such as, for example, sodium carboymethyl cellulose). The fibres preferably contain a silver compound as...

Hydroxyalkyl ethers of hydroxyalkoxy polysaccharides are prepared by reacting the corresponding polysaccharide first with an epoxide in an aqueous alkaline medium, and then with an epoxide in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst in a nonaqueous, nonalcoholic organic solvent. The resulting products are hydrophobic and strongly lipophilic, and are outstanding substrates for liquid-gel chromatography.

Described is a polysaccharide polyol derived from Volvariella volvacea, which is comprised of the following three types of recurring units. ##STR1## wherein D-Glu is D-glucopyranosyl residue, each number represents the linkage position, X is HOCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.2 OH)--O--CH(CH.sub.2 OH)--O--[Formula A] or D-glucopyranosyl and Y is --CH.sub.2 --CH(CH.sub.2 OH)--O--CH(CH.sub.2 OH)--O-- or D-glucopyranosyl, at least a part of X in the recurring units II and III is that of formula A, and, the avera...

A process for the treatment of polysaccharide gels, especially of agarose or gelose, comprises bridging the linear polysaccharide chains with 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine, e.g. by suspending the polysaccharide gel in a solution of 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine and reacting the two ingredients. The polysaccharide gel may be in the form of pearls, plates or granules. The gels are useful in immuno-electrophoresis processes.

A matrix comprising a water-insoluble .beta.-1,3-glucan gel in the shape of beads with diameters within the range of about 5 to 1000.mu. is prepared by, for example, dispersing an alkaline aqueous solution of a water-soluble .beta.-1,3-glucan in a water-immiscible organic solvent, and adding an organic acid to the resultant dispersion. The matrix is useful as carrier materials for immobilized enzymes, affinity chromatography, gel filtration, ion exchange and other applications.

New polysaccharide esters are disclosed, and more precisely esters of acidic polysaccharides chosen from the group formed by carboxymethylcellulose, carboxymethyl starch and carboxymethylchitin. These new esters and some esters of the type already known are useful as medicaments, for the manufacture of pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations, in the field of biodegradable plastic materials and, therefore, for the manufacture of medical, surgical and sanitary articles, as well as numerous other ...

This invention pertains to novel fibers made of .alpha.(1.fwdarw.;3) polysaccharides, and a process for their production. The fibers of the invention have "cotton-like" properties but can be produced as continuous filaments on a year-round basis. The fibers are useful in textile applications.

The invention provides an acidic polysaccharide by culturing acidic polysaccharide-producing germ belonging to Aureobasidium sp. isolated from soil, which has no toxicity and is applicable to growth promotion by adding to feed, waste water-treating agent and foods.

A glucan which is characterized by repeating units of [3)-Glc-(1.fwdarw.4)-Glc-(1.fwdarw.4)-Glc-(1.fwdarw.] wherein Glc represents alpha-D-glucopyranose residue. This glucan may be prepared by cultivating a microorganism of the genus Elsinoe capable of producing this glucan on a nutrient medium to produce this glucan and separating and recovering this glucan. This glucan may be used, for example, in the form of a film for packaging film material.

A matrix comprising a water-insoluble .beta.-1,3-glucan gel in the shape of beads with diameters within the range of about 5 to 1000 .mu. is prepared by, for example, dispersing an alkaline aqueous solution of a water-insoluble .beta.-1,3-glucan in a water-immiscible organic solvent, and adding an organic acid to the resultant dispersion. The matrix is useful as carrier materials for immobilized enzymes, affinity chromatography, gel filtration, ion exchange and other applications.