Hydrolytic degradation of hyaluronic acid

The hydrolytic degradation of hyaluronic acid (HA) was investigated through kinetic measurements. The first-order rate constants were obtained under different pH conditions on the basis of the decrease in the molecular weight. The mechanism of the hydrolytic degradation of HA was also investigated by theoretical calculations (MNDO-MO) on model compounds of HA. It was speculated that hydrolysis occurs in acid solution on the glucuronic acid residue and the hemiacetal ring remains, while the destruction of the N-acetylglucosamine residue takes place in basic solution. These speculations are consistent with the structural analysis of the degradation products by 13C-NMR.