Chemicals and Drugs

Chitin

A linear polysaccharide of beta-1->4 linked units of ACETYLGLUCOSAMINE. It is the second most abundant biopolymer on earth, found especially in INSECTS and FUNGI. When deacetylated it is called CHITOSAN.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A linear polysaccharide of beta-1->4 linked units of ACETYLGLUCOSAMINE. It is the second most abundant biopolymer on earth, found especially in INSECTS and FUNGI. When deacetylated it is called CHITOSAN.

Chemical Identity

Chemical Information

Molecular Formula
C8H15NO6
Molecular Weight
221.21 g/mol
IUPAC Name
N-[(2R)-2,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl]acetamide
InChIKey
OVRNDRQMDRJTHS-WTZNIHQSSA-N
SMILES
CC(=O)NC1[C@@H](OC(C(C1O)O)CO)O
MeSH Unique ID
D002686
Source
PubChem CID 6857375

MeSH Record

Classification

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MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

30 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings administration & dosage, adverse effects, agonists, analogs & derivatives, analysis, antagonists & inhibitors, biosynthesis, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemical synthesis, chemistry, classification, deficiency, economics, genetics, history, immunology, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, physiology, poisoning, radiation effects, standards, supply & distribution, therapeutic use, toxicity, ultrastructure, urine.

MeSH Record

History Note

72(67)

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Polysaccharides (1966)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

QU 83

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Chitin. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D002686. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D002686
  2. Chitin. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitin
  3. Chitin. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161219
  4. Chitin. In: PubChem Compound. CID 6857375. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6857375