DEVELOPMENT OF A TOPICAL FORMULATION FROM CHITOSAN EXTRACTED FROM PLEUROTUS OSTREATUS MYCELIUM: A SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE TO CRUSTACEAN-DERIVED CHITOSAN

This study investigates the extraction of chitosan, a macromolecule composed of many glucosamine units (monomers), with a high molecular weight. This chitin-derived biopolymer has antimicrobial and healing properties from the mycelium of the fungus “Pleurotus ostreatus”, avoiding the bioethical and availability problems associated with crustaceans, its usual source. Chitin was extracted from Pleurotus ostreatus mycelium with a yield of 10.8%. Chitosan was obtained by diacetylation with a diacetylation degree of 82.6%. It was characterized by techniques such as infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. We incorporate into five ointment formulations with different solvents (cetyl alcohol, vegetable wax, petroleum jelly, coconut oil and beeswax). After one month of thermal stability tests to evaluate their organoleptic and functional properties, the most stable formulation showed a pH of 5.5, a viscosity of 2400 cP and an extensibility of 100-200 mm². Pleurotus ostreatus is an ideal source of chitosan with antimicrobial and healing properties, useful for industrial applications and skin care without resorting to crustaceans.