Does hyaluronic acid have chelating properties?

DoreenDoreen Member
in General
I just read that "Numerous biomolecules exhibit the ability to dissolve certain metal cations. Thus, proteins, polysaccharides, and polynucleic acids are excellent polydentate ligands for many metal ions." (Wikipedia, subject chelation)

Does that mean that something like hyaluronic acid for example, being a polysaccharide, has chelating properties?

I'm not a chemist and understand that the matter is too broad and complex to simplify and perhaps not at all useful, but I just wondered?

Comments

  • EVchemEVchem Member
    Oh my academic chemistry knowledge is not the best but here's my thoughts:
    While it might technically have the potential to be a chelator (the unpaired electrons on the nitrogen in the amide groups, the ketone oxygens), stereochemistry will also play a role here. I'm not sure if the hyaluronic acid would be able to contort in a way to bind to one metal ion the way that other smaller chelators can. 
  • DoreenDoreen Member
    @EVchem
    Ok, thanks a lot for your answer! :)
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