PRODUCTION OF MODIFIED HYALURONIC ACID

摘要

PURPOSE:To obtain a hyaluronic acid (salt) having narrow molecular weight distribution and arbitrarily controlled average molecular weight, by treating a crude hyaluronic acid (salt) with an endo-type hyaluronidase in an aqueous medium. CONSTITUTION:A crude hyaluronic acid (salt) is produced e.g. by culturing a hyaluronidase-non-producing strain or a hyaluronidase-producing strain of hyaluronidase production inhibition stage in a homogeneous medium under controlled pH condition while introducing nitrogen gas and/or carbon dioxide gas into the culture system. The crude hyaluronic acid (salt) is treated with an endo-type hyaluronidase in an aqueous medium to obtain a purified hyaluronic acid (salt). The endo-type hyaluronidase is preferably an enzyme produced by a hyaluronidase-producing strain belonging to Streptomyces genus or a composition containing said enzyme.