Potential Biomedical Applications of Modified Pectin as a Delivery System for Bioactive Substances

Pectin is a polysaccharide that has been recently gaining attention because it is renewable, inexpensive, biocompatible, degradable, non-toxic, non-polluting, and has mechanical integrity. The recent extraction techniques and modification to the structural property of pectin have led to the modified pectin whose chemical and surface functional groups yield galacturonic acid and galactose contents which are primarily responsible for its improved and better use in biomedical applications including drug delivery and thus producing high-value products. Major attention on modified pectin has been focused on the aspect of its bioactive functionalities that opposes cancer development. Nevertheless, modified pectin can be combined with a wide range of biopolymers with unique characteristics and activities which thus enhances its application in different areas. This has enabled the current applications of modified pectin through different approaches in addition to the prominent anti-cancer functional capabilities, which were reviewed. Furthermore, this paper highlights the potential of modified pectin as a delivery system of bioactive substances, its synergistic and prebiotic effects, gut microbiota effect and antiviral properties amongst other roles applicable in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries.