You want to carry out a polysaccharide analysis
What is a polysaccharide analysis?
Polysaccharide analysis involves characterizing the structure, chemical composition and physico-chemical properties of polysaccharides in order to guarantee their quality, efficacy and safety in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.
Polysaccharides are carbohydrate macromolecules made up of long chains of monosaccharides (simple sugars) linked by glycosidic bonds. They play an essential role in many biological and industrial processes.
Classification of polysaccharides
Polysaccharides can be classified according to their structure and function:
Depending on their chemical composition
- Homopolysaccharides: composed of a single type of monosaccharide.
- Examples: Starch (glucose), Cellulose (glucose), Glycogen (glucose).
- Heteropolysaccharides: contain several types of monosaccharide.
- Examples: Hyaluronic acid, Heparin, Peptidoglycans.
According to their biological function
- Reserve polysaccharides: store energy.
- Starch (plants), glycogen (animals).
- Structural polysaccharides: reinforce biological structures.
- Cellulose (plant wall), Chitin (arthropod exoskeleton).
- Biologically active polysaccharides: involved in specific functions.
- Heparin (anticoagulant), Hyaluronic acid (joint lubricant, skin moisturiser).
Use of polysaccharides in biopharmaceutical
Polysaccharides have a variety of properties that make them useful in a biopharmaceutical industry:
- Excipients pour médicaments (ex : dérivés de cellulose).
- Thérapies anti-inflammatoires et anticoagulantes (ex : héparine).
- Biomatériaux pour la cicatrisation et les implants (ex : chitosane, acide hyaluronique).
Why analyse polysaccharides in biopharmaceutical applications?
Polysaccharides are widely used in biopharmaceuticals as active ingredients (heparin), excipients (cellulose derivatives) or biomaterials (hyaluronic acid, chitosan). Their complex structure and variability require precise analyses to guarantee their quality, safety and efficacy.
Polysaccharide analysis is essential to meet the requirements of ICH Q6B standards for biomolecule characterization and to ensure batch homogeneity and reproducibility. Chromatography (HPLC, GPC/SEC) is used to monitor their composition and molar mass distribution.
Polysaccharides are sensitive to variations in pH, temperature and oxidation, which can alter their functional properties. Techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) assess their stability under different conditions. Strict control is essential to guarantee the homogeneity of production batches.
The presence of contaminants (heavy metals, solvent residues) can have an impact on product safety. Methods such as mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, MALDI-TOF, GC-MS) can detect these impurities at trace levels.
FILAB can help you analyse your polysaccharides
Why choose FILAB for polysaccharide analysis?
FILAB, an analytical expertise laboratory, provides in-depth expertise in the characterization and analysis of polysaccharides in accordance with current guidelines, in particular ICH Q6B.
Our FILAB laboratory offers a full range of polysaccharide characterization and analysis services.
our polysaccharide analysis services
Identification of chemical bonds and functional groups
Identification of monosaccharides
Detection and analysis of heavy metals
Évaluation de la rhéologie des solutions
Determining thermal stability and moisture content
Detailed analysis of polymers on a nanometric scale
Separation and quantification of monomers
Determining the size distribution and molecular weight of polysaccharides
Detection of residual solvents and organic contaminants
Determining thermal transitions (melting, crystallisation)
Study of the surface and structure of polysaccharides
Determination of polysaccharide crystallinity
